TCC Book IV: A Rather Hostile Takeover
by The Universal Storyteller
Summary: Book 4 of at least 7, if not more. Its series is set mostly during the MK's Silver Millennium! 11 Chapters now up! Chapter 11 will be a short interlude of sorts, in fact, people, before even more trouble arises here!
1. Chapter One

This will be the first chapter-like section of a potential twenty or so sections, more or less, for A Rather Hostile Takeover, people. In the last adventure for several of the Moon Kingdom's known Sailor Scouts, they often did a great deal of training with each other elsewhere on the Moon. And things were still reasonably good for them in their lives, whenever possible. However, things are about to change for them, very soon, most likely, and not necessarily for the better, when they do so.  
  
Their Negaverse enemies will most certainly start to turn the tide of battle against them in this adventure, starting sometime in the near future, though. Just how they might, readers, it remains to be seen, in fact. For I have several more chapter-like sections to put up for this fourth volume of The Chrysanthemum Chronicles. Rest assured, though, that what is yet to come for them and others that they'll eventually meet in the course of this particular adventure of theirs will be quite unlike what they have faced to date in their lives.  
  
Now, without any further ado here, I suppose I should get on with the first part of this fourth story, in rather short order, people. The standard disclaimers will apply for this story, as well, of course. I claim nothing for my own that isn't actually of my own creation here, obviously enough, everyone. If you like what you see well enough here, then I'm sure that you should know what to do by now, as well. I await your reviews and other similar comments about this story and each and every one of its various parts, in fact.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story  
  
Inside Serena's Chambers In The Imperial Palace  
Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon  
January 29, 987  
  
Serena Moon was in her Imperial Palace chambers with a number of her fellow Moon Kingdom Princesses, just killing some time with them, between some meetings that she'd had to attend with her parents, at least. If not also with the rest of her current royal Court. Now in her Imperial Palace chambers with her were Amy Anderson, Raye Hino, Lita McKinley, Mina Abernathy, Destiny Moon, and Bethany Moon. And two girls now with her were her younger twin sisters. Those younger twin sisters of hers were Destiny and Bethany. Destiny was the older twin, while Bethany was the younger twin. Both her twin sisters were about three years younger than she was. For Serena was about five months short of her eleventh birthday, as Terrans might reckon her in their years. That was due to the simple fact that she'd been born on June 30, 976, on the Crystal Palace's grounds elsewhere on the Moon.  
  
Serena was the oldest daughter of her parents in the Moon Kingdom. And she'd been born to Queen Serenity and Prince Daniel many long years before. She'd been their only child until her twin sisters had been born almost three years after her own birth. She'd spent nearly three years as an only child before her twin sisters' births in the palace that she was now in.  
  
Before she became an older sister to her twin sisters, she'd met a number of Princesses from other worlds in the Moon Kingdom. And she'd met them on her first birthday. After which she'd begun to develop a rather close relationship with them in her life. Those Princesses, as a matter of fact, had been Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina. And they'd been introduced to her by a certain Terran Prince from Japan on Earth, a rather handsome and rather young Prince named Prince Darien. Ever since, they'd all begun to become rather close friends of each other. And they often hoped that they'd always be rather close friends to each other, for at least as long as they lived in God's very own Universe. And now, they were rather close to each other, in terms of their relationships with each other in all of their lives. Even after Serena's twin sisters had been born, they still had all often gotten much closer to each other in each of their lives on the Moon.  
  
Amy Anderson had been a Moon Kingdom Princess from Mercury. While Mina Abernathy had come from Venus, Raye Hino had come from Mars, and Lita McKinley had come from Jupiter. Other Princesses eventually joined their little social circle that they'd begun to develop from a very young age, as they grew up together on the Moon, at least most of the time, if not all of it. Since first meeting up with Serena, all four of those Princesses had rarely, if ever, actually been able to go back to their native worlds for a long enough time. For the distances and the time that'd likely be required normally made rather frequent returns to their respective home planets impossible, quite obviously.  
  
Serena had, at first, not liked losing her status as an only child for her parents. But in the past seven or so years, that'd rarely been the case. For she'd really enjoyed being with Destiny and Bethany quite often in her life since they'd become part of it. And she now often helped Destiny and Bethany out whenever she could, in her life. Mainly because Destiny was completely blind normally, and Bethany was completely deaf normally. Of course, her rather frequent helping of them was often appreciated by her sisters and her parents, who by now were expecting to have several more children in the very near future. God willing, of course. Possibly as many as five, if things worked out well enough in the next few months or so.  
  
Currently, Serena was talking to her current companions in her chambers about at least one friend of theirs from Terra, if not more than one. She asked Raye, "Do you think that we'll see Sylvia Wakefield again in the very near future?"  
  
"I'm hoping so, Serena. But you must remember that she's not been here on the Moon with us since January 10, 987, which was about three weeks ago, if I'm not mistaken."  
  
"Yes, I do. I think of our Terran Israelite friend Princess Sylvia Wakefield quite often, as a matter of fact."  
  
"And I suppose you're wondering how things will go for her and Prince Rolando Volois of Scotland on Earth?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, Raye, I am. But I still would rather be with Prince Darien, if at all possible, sometime soon, of course."  
  
"Well, you know Darien still has a lot of things he normally has to do whenever he's on Earth,  
and he's working on our joint project with his Terran nation."  
  
"Yes, I do. But that doesn't mean I don't really miss him all that much, of course, Raye." Raye began to get rather upset with Serena. For Serena often got rather animated whenever Darien came up in chats the Princesses now with Serena quite often had with her in their lives, as Serena had just begun to do in her own chambers.  
  
"I understand that, Meatball Head, but he can't always be with you here on the Moon with us,  
and most especially with you, Serena!"  
  
"Maybe so, Mars Girl, but I often wish that he was!"  
  
"Well, would you rather have the Negaverse wipe us all out, and not allow any of us to possibly survive their invasion of our dear Moon Kingdom, Serena?" asked Raye.  
  
"No! Of course not! But I want to be with Darien as much as I possibly can be, whenever I can be, no matter what the cost, I think!"  
  
"Even if you somehow manage to get yourself or any of the rest of us killed in the process?"  
  
"Even if that happens, Raye, I want to be with him as much as I possibly can be with him in my life!"  
  
"And by doing so, don't you realize that you might be signing our Moon Kingdom's own death warrant?" asked Raye, currently quite upset with Serena.  
  
"Maybe so, but if our first battle with beings from the Negaverse is any indication, our Moon Kingdom is likely still doomed. For I don't think that we can somehow manage to change the ways that our military personnel do things in and around our own Moon Kingdom. Nearly a millennium of relative peace has left us rather weak militarily. And I don't think that we'll be able to stop them easily enough, if and when they ever decide to invade us, Raye. We may try, but I don't think that we'll succeed. You already know of numerous visions and/or dreams that many of our people have had for many years. People that include me, Mother, and Darien, at least, if not any of the rest of us, of course. Raye, our Silver Millennium will end in the next three or four years, it seems, whether we like it or not. And if it's not happened by the time it does, we'll soon afterward be invaded by our enemy, I think. And when they do, Dad may or may not still be around. Though not for long, I think, when they do, if he's still around when they finally begin invading our Moon Kingdom."  
  
At least a few months before, Serena and a number of other people had found themselves on a world in another galaxy of the Universe. Eventually Serena and others with her had met up with two other Terrans on that world besides Darien, who'd been brought to that world from the Moon, which he'd earlier been visiting some time before. Those Terrans had been Sylvia and Rolando, who'd first met up with Darien, then with Serena and her current companions after they'd all fought against beings from another part of the Universe entirely. Those beings that Serena and others had fought against on that world had been from the Negaverse. And they'd eventually come to conquer and/or destroy all the inhabited places in the Moon Kingdom, if at all possible. That was supposing the visions and/or dreams that many people had been having for a substantial number of years were sufficiently accurate in their respective natures, in fact. Serena and a number of people from the Moon Kingdom had been whisked away to that world in a strange galaxy. And they'd found another adventure for themselves, which had been their second adventure together as members of a certain group of Moon Kingdom citizens.  
  
This group was called "The Sailor Scouts." And a considerable number of Moon Kingdom Princesses were rather secretly members of it. Those same Princesses included Serena, Amy, Raye, Mina, Lita, Destiny, and Bethany. Not to mention at least a few other Princesses from anywhere in the Moon Kingdom, which consisted basically of all the worlds other than Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy's Sol solar system. Later on, after the main part, if not all, of their second adventure together with each other, and after they'd met up with Sylvia and Rolando during it, Sylvia had also become a Sailor Scout. Even though she wasn't actually from one of the current worlds of the Moon Kingdom. Other Sailor Scouts included Queen Serenity, who'd been a Sailor Scout for many years already in her own life, as well as several other Scouts from other worlds in the Moon Kingdom.  
  
Besides Queen Serenity, Serena, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, Destiny, Bethany, and Sylvia, some,  
if not all, of the other Moon Kingdom royals who were also secretly Sailor Scouts were the Moon Kingdom Princesses Chloe Anderson, Aurora Abernathy, Bridget Hino, Beatrice Kirby, Hannah Tompkins, Alexis Herschel, Michelle Gallenski, and Susan Meyers. Not to mention as well, Hannah's sisters Jackie and Estella, Alexis's sisters Ariel and Gwendolyn, who was often referred to or called "Winnie," Michelle's sisters Poruzuka and Dorothy, and Susan's sisters Deborah and Tracy.  
  
Queen Serenity usually served as a Scout in her rather secret identity of Royal Sailor Serenity. But at least every once in a while, she'd power up into her second-power phase as Sentinel Serenity, in which she was also often referred to as, "The Queen of the Sailor Scouts." Her oldest daughter Serena was currently the Junior Sailor Scout called "Junior Sailor Moon," at least most of the time, whenever she was in her Scout state of being. While her twin girls, whenever they were each in their own Sailor Scout states of being, were normally called either "Corona," or "Eclipse," as the case might be for each of them, instead of being called Destiny or Bethany, in their lives.  
  
As for Amy, she was secretly Junior Sailor Mercury, at least right now in her life. While her sister Chloe was, at least as of the current time in her own, secretly Junior Sailor Mercury Beta. Though that might change, of course, if and whenever Chloe got another identity she could use instead of that one later on in her life.  
  
Mina was, at least right now, secretly Junior Sailor Venus as well in her life. While her sister Aurora was also secretly Junior Sailor Venus Beta at the current time in her own life, Mina was often glad that she was Junior Sailor Venus right now in the Moon Kingdom. Unlike Amy and Mina, at least, if not other Moon Kingdom Princesses as well, though, and like Chloe and a number of other Princesses from there, Mina's sister Aurora might become known by a different basic Sailor Scout identity. Even though she was also from Venus, just like Mina was.  
  
Raye would always have the basic Sailor Scout identity of Sailor Mars. Even though she wasn't yet a full Sailor Scout. While her sister would likely someday become Sailor Blossom, Raye would likely someday become Sailor Mars in the future. God willing, of course. Unlike Raye,  
though, Bridget wouldn't likely keep her basic Sailor Scout identity of Mars Beta. But she'd become Sailor Blossom, if she somehow survived long enough to do so in the future.  
  
As for Lita McKinley and Beatrice Kirby, they weren't sisters to each other, but cousins to each other. Lita was secretly Junior Sailor Jupiter, at least as of the current time. While her cousin Beatrice was secretly Junior Sailor Jupiter Beta, as of that time in both their lives. Lita would likely someday become Sailor Jupiter in the future. While her cousin, if she also somehow survived for a long enough time into the future, might eventually become Sailor Daphne, and not Sailor Jupiter Beta.  
  
Hannah Tompkins was currently also Junior Sailor Saturn Beta. But eventually, given the right circumstances, she might eventually become Sailor Saturn. While her older sister Jackie would possibly become Sailor Megaringa. And her younger sister Estella would possibly become Sailor Florence. Supposing that either or both of them somehow survived long enough into the future. Unlike the Scouts from inside her planet's orbit, she'd be considered an Outer Sailor Scout. Just as any Scouts from her planet and from planets outside its orbit would be considered as such. While all the other Scouts from moons, space stations, and/or planets that were actually inside Saturn's orbit would normally be considered to be Inner Scouts, no matter what their world of origin anywhere in the Moon Kingdom.  
  
Of course, not only Hannah, Jackie, and Estella Tompkins were considered to be Outer Sailor Scouts, simply because of that fact. Also considered to be Outer Sailor Scouts were the three Herschel girls from Uranus, the three Gallenski girls from Neptune, and the three Meyers girls from Pluto, simply because of that fact.  
  
Jackie might later change her basic Sailor Scout identity from Junior Sailor Saturn Alpha to Sailor Megaringa, instead of becoming Sailor Saturn Alpha, or she might not. Only time would ever tell if she would do so in the future. While her sister Estella might become Sailor Florence instead of Sailor Saturn Gamma, as well.  
  
As for the three mentioned Herschel girls from Uranus, they might become the Sailor Scouts called, "Sailor Herschelata," "Sailor Uranus," and "Sailor Portia," respectively. With Ariel Herschel becoming Sailor Herschelata, Alexis Herschel becoming Sailor Uranus, and Winnie Herschel becoming Sailor Portia. But they'd likely not become known by each of those identities for at least a little while yet. They'd still likely be referred to as the Junior Sailor Scouts called "Junior Sailor Uranus Alpha," "Junior Sailor Uranus Beta," and "Junior Sailor Uranus Gamma," who were also Ariel, Alexis, and Winnie, respectively.  
  
The three Gallenski girls from Neptune were Poruzuka, Michelle, and Dorothy, who was often called, "D.C.," by a number of her friends and relatives. Poruzuka was secretly also "Junior Sailor Neptune Alpha" as a Sailor Scout. While her aforementioned sisters were secretly also either "Junior Sailor Neptune Beta," or "Junior Sailor Neptune Gamma," as the case might be for either of them. Her sister Michelle was secretly also Junior Sailor Neptune Beta at the current time, while at the same time, D.C. was secretly also Junior Sailor Neptune Gamma. However, it was suspected that if any or all of the three Gallenski girls ever became a full-fledged Sailor Scout, they'd all eventually become the Sailor Scouts known as "Sailor Dolphina," "Sailor Neptune," and "Sailor Katrina." With Poruzuka becoming Sailor Dolphina, Michelle becoming Sailor Neptune, and D.C. becoming Sailor Katrina. But even that wasn't yet a certainty in any of their three lives in their part of God's very own Universe, if it'd ever be someday yet in the future.  
  
As for all three of the young Meyers ladies, who were Deborah, Susan, and Tracy, they were secretly also the Junior Sailor Scouts who were now known as "Junior Sailor Pluto Alpha," "Junior Sailor Pluto Beta," and "Junior Sailor Pluto Gamma," respectively. However, at some later date, Deborah might actually become "Sailor Cometa," instead of becoming "Sailor Pluto Alpha," in actual reality. While her sister Susan might actually become "Sailor Pluto," instead of becoming "Sailor Pluto Beta," in like manner. And her sister Tracy might actually become "Sailor Trammeyna," instead of becoming "Sailor Pluto Gamma," in like manner. But as with all the other Sailor Scouts, of course, that still wasn't yet confirmed beyond the shadow of any doubt for any or all of them, if it'd ever be, in each of their own lives in God's very own Universe.  
  
Destiny said, then, "Serena, Dad may be gone by the time they come, or he may not, as you often say. But I don't think we need to talk about it so much, if we don't have to. You know that it often gets Bethany and me upset whenever you say that might happen to Dad in the future."  
  
"Well, Destiny, I'm really sorry if it bothers you both whenever I say that about Dad. But it may very well happen. For as we may already know, from our first battle with them so long ago, that Negaversers who fight against us in battle won't likely ever give any of their enemies in it any mercy at all. Didn't you see how they took down a lot of people in the Ozotov solar system of the Cassini Galaxy quite some length of time ago?"  
  
"Come to think of it, I believe I did," answered Destiny, a few moments later, after she remembered being on Ozotov IV with Serena and a number of other people in her own life.  
  
"Then you should know by now that anyone who faces them in battle will have to fight for their lives against them, if they want to survive to live at least one more day in each of them, Destiny. And I think that'll include us, of course. I hope it doesn't, of course. But I think that it will. I often see rather disturbing visions, as you know. And I at least sometimes have at least a few bad dreams like those visions. I'm really afraid that they'll possibly kill most, if not all, of us when they come here to our Moon Kingdom, and maybe even to the Moon itself. You all know about many, if not all, of those visions and/or dreams of mine. As do my parents, of course."  
  
"Even you, probably," said Raye, in quite a perturbed manner here.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I may be, as you say, Raye, 'Signing our Moon Kingdom's own death warrant.' But I'd rather be with Darien, if at all possible, than to be ruling the Moon Kingdom in the future, if I absolutely had to choose. At least that's how I feel right now about him in my life. Sure, being the Moon Princess is nice. But where's the fun in being at so many trade conferences and boring speeches and other dull functions? Not much fun to me, as you girls should all know well enough by now."  
  
"You really mean that you'd rather be just a normal girl, if at all possible, Serena?" asked Raye.  
  
"If I could be with Darien, sure. I feel very strongly for him, as you all know by now, I'm sure."  
  
"Serena, what'd your likely abdication of your Moon Kingdom duties possibly suggest to numerous others in our Moon Kingdom?"  
  
"I don't know, Amy."  
  
"I think that they'd quite possibly suggest to the Moon Kingdom's numerous people that you don't really care all that much for the Moon Kingdom at all."  
  
"I'd hope not, Amy."  
  
"Well, we know that you care for it very much, Serena. But I'd be willing to guess that at least eighty percent of our people don't know that, if not more."  
  
"What do they know?" asked Serena of Amy.  
  
"They know what they hear, and what they see, Serena. And because they do know what they see and hear, Serena, it could bring more trouble to us and our fellow leaders in the Moon Kingdom than we really need, if it hasn't already begun to do so, in our own Moon Kingdom."  
  
"It's not being the Moon Princess that gets me down so much about my life, Amy. It's mainly often being forced to attend various official functions that I don't really like attending most, if not all, of the time. Sure, being the Moon Princess is nice to a point. But where's the fun in quite often having to boss many other people around, if I don't really want to?"  
  
"You'd rather be just like the rest of us Princesses, often?" asked Lita, now rather curious. Because Serena didn't always seem to suggest that was true for her in her life.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, if I could quit being the Moon Princess, I'd likely consider doing so. But it's not, I believe, a position I can quit from at all, or at least not very easily, Lita. I think that, for at least as long as both Mom and I are still alive, I won't likely be able to quit from that position, if ever. I'd probably consider also quitting the Sailor Scouts, if it weren't for our foes who are likely going to invade our Moon Kingdom, and come here to the Moon, when we won't want them to do that. But I'm not going to quit as a Sailor Scout at least as long as I'm still able to fight against our foes, if at all possible. You have my word on that, girls. I'm going to stick with all of you girls for as long as I can, and whenever I can, no matter what the cost. Even with my twin sisters, of course."  
  
"Even if Darien is around?" asked Mina.  
  
"Yes, if I can, I'll do that, Mina. Of course, you might be somewhere I can't be with you in. And I may have to be with Darien instead. I'm afraid that by the time Darien and I likely get zapped by Queen Beryl, though, you girls might all be dead or asleep already. And I won't know it at all, before I then somehow find myself with Darien in the sky above the Imperial Palace."  
  
"And then your mother will try to save as many of us as she can, if she can't save us all?"  
asked Mina.  
  
"Of course, Mina. I believe that Luna and Artemis might then try to talk her out of it. But you know how Mom often is when she's really set her mind on doing something major in her life. She won't let them convince her not to use her Imperium Silver Crystal and her Crescent Moon Wand together. Even if it may mean her death, she won't. For she'll care for us all too much to let our futures vanish without her trying to do something about it, so that we don't lose them at all, if at all possible."  
  
Then Serena spent at least a little more time with her sisters and friends. And she and Raye began calming down again around each other, at least until she heard two cats calling to her from the nearby hall outside her Imperial chambers, if they'd not already done so all the way. One of those cats was Luna, and the other was Artemis. Those cats were Queen Serenity's cats, and Luna was mostly black, while Artemis was mostly white.  
  
One of the cats said, "Serena, your presence is requested in the main ballroom again within the next ten or so minutes. Your Mom thinks you need to attend to three canisters that just came here for you within the last hour or two, by then, if at all possible."  
  
"Three canisters for me? From where?"  
  
"Take a guess, Serena."  
  
"Earth, Luna?"  
  
"Yes, Serena. Your uncle Prince Raphael's guarding them all now. And your mother wants you to come and get them, before everyone else who's also here in this palace with us now somehow starts finding out about them at all. People are asking her what's in each of those three canisters for you. And they're also doing the same for your father and your uncle."  
  
"I'll be right there. Should the girls come with me?"  
  
"I'd not recommend it. For Prince Caliterios has just been trying to stir up some major trouble of late here in the Moon Kingdom, whenever possible. Especially in any number of our Moon Kingdom's palaces here on the Moon. Even this one, for the simple reason that we're currently here in this particular palace on the Moon."  
  
Prince Caliterios was a known enemy of Raye and her family from Mars. And he was almost always trying to work against Queen Serenity and her loyal subjects, whenever he possibly could do so, if not all the time, in his very own life. Like Raye and her sister Bridget, he was from the Martian mini-system. Particularly from Mars in it, just as they were. Raye and her family were loyal to Queen Serenity. And Caliterios and his family were not generally loyal to her, whenever they possibly could be disloyal to her and to her Moon Kingdom.  
  
"Caliterios is involved in this matter?" asked Raye.  
  
Luna, the mostly black female cat, said, "Yes, Raye, he is. That's why I don't think that you should go with Serena to the main ballroom right now. I suspect that if you girls besides Serena do that, then something might happen to you all, at least, if you're not careful enough."  
  
"Well, if trouble may be arising in the main ballroom, then we've got to stop it, if at all possible, Luna."  
  
Luna said, "Raye, please don't leave this part of the palace with Serena. I just experienced a rather strange vision last night that seemed to suggest that if you girls did so, several of you Moon Kingdom people might be whisked away to some other place in the Universe."  
  
"And that we can't afford right now?" asked Raye.  
  
"No, of course not, Raye, if it can possibly be avoided at all," said Artemis, a mostly white male cat.  
  
"Are you sure that if she goes to the main ballroom alone, she'll be safe enough, Artemis?" This was also a question from Raye, of course.  
  
"As sure as Luna and I can be, we're sure. Serena's parents and her uncle Prince Raphael feel essentially the same way, Raye."  
  
"What if we go there as the Sailor Scouts, Luna?"  
  
"You'll have to do it quickly, and get in and out very quickly, before Caliterios can stop you,  
Raye."  
  
Serena thought for a second, then said, "Luna, tell Mom to expect a page from me momentarily in the pattern called 'Cosmic Quilter Zeta.' And when she does, for her to make sure as much as she can that nobody hears me page her or talk to her easily enough. When she hears me page her, she's to await further instructions from me. Where exactly in the main ballroom is Uncle Raph right now?"  
  
"Near one of the middle balconies in it, I believe. Possibly the most middle one in it, if I'm not mistaken, Serena," answered Luna, a few seconds later.  
  
"I'll then likely tell Mom to have Dad tell Uncle Raph to bring the canisters to the nearest balcony. And then to have Uncle Raph touch his sword, so that we can lock onto his position. When Uncle Raph touches his sword, we'll likely be able to lock onto it. When we do, I'll then notify Mom. And she'll have to do what I tell her to do within twenty to thirty seconds of me telling her to do something else, so that Uncle Raph will hopefully be safe from harm from our likely enemies here in the Moon Kingdom. If she does what I tell her quickly enough, I should be able to make sure that those who aren't against us in the main ballroom won't have to worry about getting hurt by our likely enemies in it."  
  
"Understood, Serena. However, if you're all going to come to the main ballroom in your Sailor Scout states, you'd all better make as sure as you possibly can that nobody who's likely against us in the Moon Kingdom knows that you girls are all doing so then, of course, Serena."  
  
"Agreed, Luna. Remember, Mother's to expect me to page her shortly in the pattern called 'Cosmic Quilter Zeta,' and then to wait for me to give her any further instructions from me. Are Hannah, Alexis, Susan, and Michelle, at least, also in the main ballroom right now?"  
  
"Yes. They're near Prince Daniel at the moment, often chatting with him and Queen Serenity."  
  
"Tell them all to go to the Hebron Garden, as quickly as they can get there, immediately upon your meeting of them in the main ballroom. Don't allow them to question you about why I want them to do that. Tell them that Serena's ordering them to do so, by her authority as the current Moon Princess. If you see Chloe and the rest of my Court, tell them that Amy and the rest of us are attending to an emergency that we just learned about elsewhere on the Moon, that requires the attention of us all. Tell them to go to the Imperial Palace's main stable area as soon as possible. And tell each of them to saddle up one horse apiece, just as soon as they can each get away from the main ballroom easily enough. They're each to go to Crescent's Double Earth Palace on the Moon by as many different routes as they can each possibly take to there. And then they're to wait for further instructions from Mom, Dad, or Uncle Raph, as the case might be then for them all. All the Princesses who aren't here with me that I just named aren't to say a single word to you or to anyone else, if at all possible, at least until further notice. After you attend to all the required Princesses in the main ballroom, tell Mom and Dad to await further orders from me, if I've not yet given them both enough of them while we're handling this particular manner."  
  
Luna and Artemis then agreed to do as Serena told them both to do. Then they hurried to the main ballroom as quickly, yet as casually, as they could, so as not to suggest that they'd been told what to do by anyone in the Imperial Palace who was currently loyal to Queen Serenity and her people in the Moon Kingdom, if at all possible.  
  
Serena waited for about five more minutes or so, just so that both cats would hopefully have enough of a chance to tell her Mom and all the other necessary people what to do, before she'd page her Mom again with her power locket. Just before that roughly five minutes was up, Serena then said, "Girls, I think we should now transform, and prepare to use our Sailor Teleport Power to get in and out of the main ballroom as quickly as we possibly can."  
  
So all six of her current companions did as she suggested, after she herself began to transform herself into Junior Sailor Moon. After Junior Sailor Moon was sure that her current companions had all transformed well enough into each of their respective Sailor Scout states, she then paged her mother in the necessary manner. After her mother received that page, Moon then told her mother what to do. And her mother did that, of course. Moon soon located her uncle, and she had each of her current companions gather around her rather closely, of course. That done, Moon told her mother to draw the curtain in front of the balcony that her uncle was now on, by secretly using a remote control of some sort that her mother often kept hidden behind a cushion on her usual chair in that ballroom. As soon as her mother told her that she'd used that particular remote control, and it was likely safe enough for them to do so, Moon and her fellow Scouts then teleported onto that balcony for a few seconds. They teleported directly to where her uncle Raphael was now waiting on that balcony. And then they gathered right around him and the three canisters that'd just come from Earth for Serena. That done, Moon had her uncle get in the middle of their seven-Scout circle, near the canisters for Serena. Then Moon began the teleportation process again with her fellow Scouts' help, of course. A few seconds later, before Prince Caliterios and several other people could actually get past that curtain in front of the balcony currently in question well enough, if at all, all eight Moon Kingdom royals then quickly left it. And they all teleported to a rather secret underground cavern under the Imperial Palace of Moon City.  
  
After Moon was sure that they'd all come there safely enough, she soon said, after she'd also said at least a few other things to Prince Raphael, "Uncle Raph, I want you in Crescent until further notice. I want you to stay there with several other Scouts until Mom or I tell you otherwise, if at all possible. As for us, we'll need to briefly go back to our Imperial Palace chambers to get the necessary things, after we meet up with several other Princesses. Mom and Dad should meet us in the Hebron Garden as soon as they possibly can get away from everyone else in the main ballroom. And they're planning to do so already. So you won't need to tell them why I need them there, for they know what I'm planning to do now already. Go right to your chambers, and get only what you can bring with you easily enough to Crescent without arousing our many enemies' suspicions here in the Moon Kingdom, if at all possible, Uncle Raph. You should use the secret passageway in your chambers to get to the Imperial Palace's main stable area. And then saddle up one of your horses as quickly as you can. As soon as you can, then, leave that stable area as safely as you can. And try to make sure that nobody else sees you leave it, for elsewhere on the Moon. Then take the Sulosuki Highway out of the Moon City area, and go to Crescent as safely and as quickly as you possibly can, Uncle Raph. If you don't hear from Mom, Dad, or any of the rest of us, stay there until you do. Or at least for a month or two, if you don't hear from us by the time that Mom's most likely due to have her new babies somewhere on the Moon, if at all possible, for her, and for you, if not also the rest of us. After at least a month or two passes for you, and after Mom's likely due to have her babies here on the Moon, if at all possible for her, go to Rainbow Springs with the rest of the Scouts that've been with you in Crescent's Double Earth Palace. Then I want you to begin training them as Sailor Scouts, in the Rainbow Springs Training Center. Just in case we all don't somehow manage to return very soon to you and others anywhere on the Moon, or we all don't somehow manage to contact you by then. You do know about it well enough, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, Moon, I do."  
  
"Then tell me back everything I just told you." Her uncle did so. And then Moon said, "Good luck, then, Uncle Raph, with the other Scouts that you'll likely be training, if we don't somehow return to you, or manage to contact you, in the very near future. If anything major happens to any or all of us, you'll eventually find out somehow, I think. Even if God has to be the one to let you know of such things in your life."  
  
"And if you all never return to us in the Moon Kingdom?"  
  
"Then I want you to do the best that you possibly can against our enemies' forces, no matter what the cost. If any of us never return to you, or contact you, at all, then you're to do whatever you possibly can do to protect our dear Moon Kingdom. If they come to invade us, then give no mercy to our enemies at all. For they'll not give any of our people any mercy at all if and when they ever come to conquer or destroy our dear Moon Kingdom, Uncle Raph. Even if you have to sacrifice all our inhabited places, you must do whatever you can to save our people, if at all possible, somehow, no matter what it might ever be. You must never let them completely destroy us, if you can possibly keep them from doing that at all. Even if you have to sacrifice our Moon Kingdom, you must not let them wipe us out completely, if you can possibly prevent it. You're to save as many of our people as you possibly can, if we never return in time, and our enemies come to wipe us out to the best of their abilities to do so, no matter what the cost, Uncle Raph, if you have the ability to do so at all."  
  
Moments later, then, he said his farewells to all of the Scouts now present with him in the cavern that they were now in under the Imperial Palace's grounds in the Moon's Moon City local area. He left them only after he was absolutely sure of what she'd just told him to do, if he never heard from or saw them or anyone else who was close enough to any or all of them in their respective lives again.  
  
Then, after he'd left them all for a long enough time, they all went to where the canisters that'd recently come for Serena were now resting in that cavern under the Imperial Palace. Moon had her fellow Junior Sailor Scouts each stand near one of the underground tunnels that led to that rather secret underground cavern. She did this so that if anyone else came through any of them, they'd be able to monitor the resulting situation, and act as that resulting situation would require them to act. God willing, of course. She had them do so, while she attended to each of those canisters in turn. One of the canisters was from Darien, of course. While the other two were from Rolando and Sylvia, who'd each sent them from their own main places of residence on Earth. Darien said that Serena and her crowd shouldn't likely expect him back on the Moon for at least a little while longer, if not a long time longer. It seemed that many Hiroshima-area people back in Japan were trying to cause major delays in the deliveries of certain required items for their peoples' joint project together. And Darien was now trying to find alternate sources for such items. That was just in case the needed items couldn't be gotten from the usual sources any longer, for use on their joint project. Darien was increasingly afraid that such delays in the delivery of such items might cause serious, if not grave harm, to the plans to complete that certain project as much as possible, if not entirely, by the time that the Negaverse would likely begin its invasion of the Moon Kingdom. Or by the time that they began threatening the very existence of people anywhere at all on the Moon, later on, after they'd likely wiped out most, if not all, of the populations of all the other places in the Moon Kingdom that were currently populated in it, as of the current time, in each of their own mortal lives. Of course, Darien did send Serena at least one rose from at least one garden, if not more than one, on the Imperial Palace's grounds in Kyoto, Japan, back on Earth. Prince Darien's message to her was rather long, and eventually, Moon finished reading it. After she read it, she then opened the other two in turn, with her opening Sylvia's canister first.  
  
Sylvia said that she wasn't planning on coming back to the Moon anytime soon, either. But that she hoped that she'd somehow be able to within the next few weeks or months. Whether or not it was with or it was without her siblings. She told Serena that she really missed her and the rest of Serena's crowd. And that she hoped that things were all going rather well for them all on the Moon.  
  
Rolando's canister had at least one message in it that said basically the same thing to her, at least as it related to him possibly coming back to the Moon for at least a little while. He also told her that he missed her and her crowd on the Moon. And that he hoped that she and all the other members of her crowd were doing rather well during his current absence from the Moon. He didn't know when he'd again be able to be on the Moon. But he naturally hoped that it'd be some time in the next few weeks or months. Even though he also realized that might not be possible for him at all. Or at least not as soon as he might prefer it to be possible for him.  
  
Eventually, then, Moon had examined all the things that'd been in all three canisters. And she soon said, just after she finished doing so, "Girls, the canisters were from Darien, Sylvia, and Rolando, of course. It seems Darien won't likely be with us back on the Moon for a while. Same thing for Sylvia and Rolando, I think."  
  
"What did they all send you?"  
  
She told them what she'd just received from their three Terran friends. And after she was done doing so, Mercury said, "I suppose that a lot of people don't like the idea of our two societies working together on a joint project. Both on Terra, and also here in the Moon Kingdom."  
  
"And unfortunately, the Martian Prince Caliterios appears to be among them," commented Mars.  
  
"I wish that either he and all his kind were locked away forever where they can no longer do any harm to our Moon Kingdom, or I wish that they were dead. Probably the former here, though I don't really care which. For he's definitely against Queen Serenity, whenever he can possibly be, in our Moon Kingdom. He's an enemy to my family on Mars, girls, and we'll never consider him our friend."  
  
"Just how much of an enemy, Mars?" asked Jupiter.  
  
"You could possibly say a mortal enemy, eventually, Jupiter. But right now, probably not. But if he does anything else that endangers any of our people on Mars or here on the Moon, at least,  
that might eventually change, if it hasn't already."  
  
"And if you had to, do you really think you or any of your friends and/or relatives would mind killing him, if you possibly could?"  
  
"If it was a matter of life and death, I don't think we would mind doing so, if we had to, and we could do so. Granted, violence isn't always a good thing, if it ever is. And it's generally to be avoided, whenever possible. But there are some times when it's truly necessary to fight. And with people like him, you may not often have the ability to keep from ever fighting them in your life. Sure, I may come from the planet named for a mythological god of war named Mars. But that doesn't mean that war's always necessary against other people. I may fight a lot in my life, even with Serena. But at least I know that Serena's loyal enough to me not to totally abandon me when the chips are down. Or at least I believe that I'll somehow know that eventually, if I don't already know it in my life."  
  
Moon then talked for a little while longer with all six Scouts who were now with her in the underground cavern. And then she went briefly to a nearby nook to get a cart for her to put her three canisters on for a while. She soon returned with that cart. And then she had Mars and Jupiter help her put her canisters on it as quickly and as securely as the three of them could do so here. After she, Mars, and Jupiter did that, she said, "Girls, we have to meet Hannah, Alexis, Michelle, and Susan just as soon as we can in the Hebron Garden. By now, if they all did what Luna and Artemis should've told them to do by now, they should be waiting for us there. Mom and Dad might be there with them too, of course. Let's get there as quickly as we can, girls."  
  
The girls all agreed to do so. And then Moon led the way out of the underground cavern through one of the nearby tunnels. Eventually, they all came to a large boulder that currently blocked them off from the Hebron Garden. Moon then paged Alexis and Michelle in a certain pattern. And they came to the other side of the boulder, and they soon moved it to one side with Susan's help, of course. Eventually, then, Moon exited that tunnel with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Corona, and Eclipse right behind her, of course. After she and the rest of her fellow Sailor Scouts did so, they then had Alexis, Michelle, and Susan return the boulder to its normal position. Which was actually in front of that very same tunnel between the underground cavern and the Hebron Garden on the Imperial Palace's grounds in Moon City.  
  
Moments later, Moon and the rest of her fellow Sailor Scouts had all transformed out of their respective Sailor Scout states for a while. And they took seats on nearby benches in it, so that they could talk to their fellow Princesses for at least a few minutes.  
  
Wherever possible, then, Serena and her fellow Princesses who were also secretly Inner Sailor Scouts told their fellow Princesses whatever they could tell them about certain things in their lives. And they told their fellow Princesses that they suspected another adventure would be coming their ways in the very near future, if not in the next few hours, days, or weeks. Possibly sooner than later, as a matter of fact.  
  
Eventually, Susan asked Serena, "Serena, where might we all find this adventure, then?"  
  
"It could be on Earth, it could be here on the Moon, or it could be elsewhere in the known Universe. I think that it'll be somewhere on Earth, though, Susan."  
  
"Where, then, do you think it might be?" asked Michelle.  
  
"A nation that we might eventually refer to as 'Peru', on Earth, I think. Of course, I could be wrong. If you'd have told me a year ago that we'd have been on a planet in a solar system from another galaxy, I'd have said that you were crazy, most likely, Michelle."  
  
"And yet, we all ended up somehow on Ozotov IV," commented Susan.  
  
"Yes, Susan, we did. And that was where we eventually did meet up with Sylvia and Rolando, of course."  
  
"Not to mention Darien, Serena, of course."  
  
"Yes, you could say that, Susan."  
  
"Are you really going to marry him in the future, Serena?"  
  
"I fully intend to, Alexis, if I possibly can do so. You can be sure of that, at least, about me and him. That's if it's at all possible for us both."  
  
"Even if he calls you some name you don't often like?" asked Michelle.  
  
"Yes, even if he calls me a 'Meatball Head', I fully intend to marry him, if I possibly can.  
Michelle. And I intend to win him over all other girls who might be chasing him then, if I possibly can. Nothing personal against them, at least for some of them. But I don't ever want to lose him to another girl if I can possibly avoid doing so. Even if they're among my closest friends in my life."  
  
"Even Raye?" asked Hannah.  
  
"Even Raye. Raye knows that already. At least I believe she can still remember me telling her that at least once. Don't get me wrong, Hannah, I feel very strongly for Raye in my life, of course. But I never intend to lose Darien to her at all, if I can possibly avoid it. I care very much for her in my life. But there are certain things or people that I won't let Raye get away from me at all, if I can possibly keep her from getting them away from me. And Darien is one of those very people, Hannah. Nothing personal against her. But I consider him to be mine, even if he's not exactly mine right now. For I intend to win his heart eventually, if I don't already have it. At least, I don't think that I have it yet, if I ever will."  
  
Eventually, after a bit more chatting with Susan, Alexis, Michelle, and Hannah, Serena said,  
"Outer Princesses, we Inner Princesses all have things we need to do now. So we'll all have to catch you later. Be in my chambers by this time tomorrow, if at all possible. I think we'll be about to find our next adventure coming our way, if it's not already done so, by then."  
  
Then Serena soon dismissed the Outer Princesses from the Hebron Garden. Which then left her there with only six of the Inner Princesses for company, of course. They all sat on benches there, generally in relative silence, at least until Serena's parents eventually found them all there in that garden.  
  
After her parents found them there, Serena and her fellow Princesses then spent at least the next hour with her parents discussing several different things of varying importance to any or all nine of them, if not even longer than that. Eventually, then, Queen Serenity said, "I'm thinking of cancelling tonight's ball and fireworks show, if it's not already too late to do so."  
  
"That's fine with us, Queen Serenity. Are you going to need any of us for the rest of the day or night, whichever it may be?" asked Raye.  
  
"No, Raye. After the canisters came for Serena, I soon postponed the remaining meetings for Serena and the rest of you girls, if I didn't cancel them entirely, Raye. Your schedules are clear of those meetings for at least the next week or two, if not longer than that, girls."  
  
"Thanks, Mom. You know how I often feel about boring meetings, I'm sure. But eventually,  
if at all possible, then I'll have to deal with them later, no doubt."  
  
"I'm afraid so, Serena."  
  
"What if we all find ourselves off the Moon again for quite a long time, Mom?"  
  
"Then I suppose we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it, Serena. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Mom, I have this very strange feeling that our next adventure's about to come our way. And that we'll find ourselves off the Moon again at least once more during it. I don't think that Dad will be with us, if we are. But I think that you and at least four to six others will be with me, and my six main Inner Scouts on it."  
  
"You're meaning Hannah, Alexis, Michelle, and Susan, at least, if not also Luna and Artemis as well?"  
  
"Yes. And maybe even Rolando, Darien, and Sylvia too."  
  
"I see. And how long might this adventure of ours take?"  
  
"I don't know. It could take days, or it could take forever. I'm not really sure. However, if it does take a long time, Uncle Raph knows what to do with everyone else who's currently known to be sufficiently loyal to us in the Moon Kingdom. And what he might have to do with those people who are known to not be so loyal to us."  
  
"I see. So you reminded him of what'd likely need to be done if he didn't either see or hear from us anytime in the near future. Supposing, of course, that we somehow actually ended up somewhere else entirely in God's very own Universe, Serena."  
  
"Yes. He agreed to do the best that he could for our people, if we were never able to get back to him and the rest of our people in time."  
  
Soon afterward, her Mom said, "I have to see if it's too late to drop the ball and fireworks show tonight. If I can, I'll drop them, I think. If I do, I'll let you all know through either one of my cats or one of my maidservants, if I can. If I don't, then you should all expect that they're still on as originally scheduled. I'll try to let you all know no later than an hour before Earthrise if they're on or not, girls."  
  
"Understood, Mom," answered Serena, both for herself and the rest of her current Princess-  
rank companions, seconds later.  
  
"In the meantime, go ahead and do what you were planning to do before we showed up here."  
  
So Serena soon escorted everyone except her parents out of the Hebron Garden. And they then eventually split up, so that they could each return to their respective Imperial Palace chambers for a while. Serena was last with Raye, before Raye left her alone again outside Serena's chambers there. Raye saw Serena into her chambers. And she then left Serena alone again in them, so that she herself could return to her own Imperial Palace chambers for a while. Serena soon decided to take a short nap in her own bed. And she did so, at least for an hour or two, before she again left her bed in them, for any reason whatsoever.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same,  
readers. For I have not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I will then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you have seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!  
  



	2. Chapter Two

In the last chapter, Serena and several other sentients discussed quite a few things with each other, and wondered more about what might happen for them all during their next adventure as Sailor Scouts. And they also discussed what might need to be done if the aforementioned adventure didn't go well enough for the applicable Scouts, while they were still on it. Serena and others had conversed with each other and with Serena's Uncle Raphael, whenever necessary, in fact. Serena's Uncle Raphael wouldn't be accompanying any or all of the known Sailor Scouts on their next adventure as Sailor Scouts elsewhere in the Milky Way's Sol system. Or at least the ones who were likely going to be off the Moon during it, and who were close enough to Serena in her own life, anyway.  
  
In the next chapter, the Negaverse will begin making their plans for their next attempt to gain a foothold somewhere in the known Universe. They will make these plans for their next try to gain that foothold, so that they might possibly have somewhere that they can use as a base in the future. And then hopefully, if enough things would work out somehow enough in their favor, to periodically use that base to strike the Moon Kingdom just as often, and just as severely, as they possibly could do so, in fact.  
  
Now, without any further ado here, I suppose I should get on with the second part of this fourth story, in rather short order, people. The standard disclaimers will apply for this story, as well, of course. I claim nothing for my own that isn't actually of my own creation here, obviously enough, everyone. If you like what you see well enough here, then I'm sure that you should know what to do by now, as well. I await your reviews and other similar comments about this story and each and every one of its various parts, in fact.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover  
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story  
  
Somewhere In The Negaverse  
Negaverse Dimension, The Universe  
January 29, 987  
  
Meanwhile, as Serena and several other people she knew in her life were otherwise occupied,  
and doing various other things in their lives, there were several people in the Universe's Negaverse Dimension meeting with each other. They were now trying to come up with a sufficiently good plan for them to use next against those beings who'd not want them to wreak great havoc anywhere in the Universe, if it could possibly be avoided at all. They were still rather smarting from their earlier encounter against the Sailor Scouts and their Terran friends, as well as against many natives of Ozotov IV somewhere in the Cassini Galaxy's Ozotov solar system.  
  
Especially Queen Beryl's minions Jeddite, Nephlyte, Zoisite, and Malachite, primarily. If not also any other high-ranking people besides them and Beryl in the Negaverse Dimension of the Universe as well. This was mainly, if not entirely, because they'd lost most, if not all, of their invasion force when they'd sought to gain a foothold somewhere in the Cassini Galaxy. They'd sought a foothold there in order to possibly be able to use it as a potential base for future invasions of theirs in the Universe, if they ever got the chance to do so in the future at all.  
  
Currently, Jeddite, Nephlyte, Zoisite, and Malachite were meeting with Queen Beryl in another part of the Negaverse. And Beryl was telling them that she was going to test out another Negaverser for a while, to see if he could help them in their quest to either conquer or destroy all the places that they could in the Universe. Jeddite was hoping that she'd give him and the other three people with him, besides her, of course, another crack at the Scouts.  
  
But Queen Beryl was now saying, "Jeddite, I believe I know what you're thinking right now. You're hoping that I'll give you all another chance to fight the Sailor Scouts here in the very near future. But I'm not going to, at least not right now. We have to have someone lead this next mission who is a proven expert at scouting out possible invasion sites for us, and who can likely get in and out of any place where we might send them. I'm going to test Epusaconio. And he'll also be leading a party of at least 50-100 people to scout out possible invasion sites for us. When he gets to the place in question, he'll divide up that party into groups of ten to twenty people each. He'll take one group. While other people will take the other resulting groups. And when they do, they'll all scout out the areas in which they now are for as long as they can. But for no more than two months, I expect, at the most. That will hopefully be the case for us, before anyone who's survived for us at least that long eventually meets up with all their surviving companions in the same place they'd all parted from each other again, if at all possible. I hope, of course, that all our people will survive this mission. But I still also do realize that they very well might not actually do so well enough, for the obvious reasons."  
  
"Epusaconio, Queen Beryl?" asked Jeddite.  
  
"Yes, him, Jeddite. I know he may only be a youngster, compared to a lot of us here. But he could eventually prove to be one of our most promising fighters, if and when we ever do invade Queen Serenity's infernally decadent Moon Kingdom. We'll most likely need a strong enough foothold somewhere in the Moon Kingdom's solar system, I think. And I currently believe that the best place for us to possibly get it somehow is somewhere on Earth in it. I also want you all around, if possible, if and when we're about to meet the Scouts and their friends on their turf, so to speak. I want us to see the end of the Moon Kingdom together, if at all possible. I think that if we can conquer or destroy it, we can glorify our Lord Satan quite a bit, at the very least. And also quite possibly inflict rather serious, if not grave, harm to that pretender Jesus Christ's claim on the Universe, at least as its ruler."  
  
Queen Beryl and her four chief minions then spent at least another hour or two meeting with each other in their current part of the Negaverse, if not more than that. Eventually, Beryl dismissed Jeddite, Nephlyte, Zoisite, and Malachite from her presence, at least at the current time. And then she soon retired to a bed somewhere nearby for a while.  
  
She did this here as several other Negaversers soon began to prepare themselves for their upcoming mission to Earth in the very near future. Like quite possibly sometime in the next few days or weeks, at the latest, in any case. Supposing, of course, things worked out well enough for them in the meantime, to make that possible somehow. Including, of course, Epusaconio. It might take them all at least a day or two to get ready for that mission, of course. But eventually, they'd all be ready for it, most likely, by the time that she eventually told them to begin it wherever possible on Earth.  
  
When they all were finally quite ready to do so, or whenever she'd want them to begin it,  
they'd then begin it very soon afterward, most likely. But only if Beryl cleared them to do so, quite obviously. Until such time as she did so, though, they'd all either prepare for that mission. Or they'd all wait for that mission to begin for them all, quite naturally enough. And they all did so then for at least two or three Terran days, then, if not at least a little bit longer than that. And they did this for a while, before she finally cleared them all to begin the scouting/invasion mission to Earth. This particular mission of theirs would be to somewhere else on Earth that wasn't yet known to them all, in fact.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same,  
readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course,  
readers! Over and out!  
  



	3. Chapter Three

In the last chapter, Queen Beryl and many others in the Negaverse had begun trying to come up with a plan to try to get a foothold somewhere in the Universe. And they were trying to do so, in the hopes that if they got that foothold somewhere in it, they could then use that foothold as a base to attack the Moon Kingdom from. And to hopefully either conquer or destroy it, if at all possible. They also began to prepare for their mission, once they knew enough about the chosen master plan of action here to do so well enough, in fact.  
  
In the next chapter of this story, Serena's four recent Terran visitors she'd encountered during one of her visions will have a discussion with each other. And they will have it in one of the visitors' Imperial Palace chambers back in Cuzco, Peru, on Earth. Just what will be said by those recent Terran visitors of Serena's will be mentioned here. But I'll still not give away just what they say, entirely, before I begin this chapter-like section here, just the same, if I can possibly avoid it at all. To find out what they say, readers, you will have to read ahead here, of course. For I don't really want to spoil this part of the story here, if I don't really have to, people. Besides, I think that I might have just given you enough information about what is yet to come in this next chapter-like section, anyway, everybody. So to find out more about what happens, you'll just have to read on through, whether you might really want to or not.  
  
Now, without any further ado here, I suppose I should get on with the next part of this fourth story, in rather short order, people. The standard disclaimers will apply for this story, as well, of course. I claim nothing for my own that isn't actually of my own creation here, obviously enough, everyone. If you like what you see well enough here, then I'm sure that you should know what to do by now, as well. I await your reviews and other similar comments about this story and each and every one of its various parts, in fact.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover  
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story  
  
Inside Mara Zimak's Chambers In The Imperial Palace  
Cuzco, Peru, Earth  
January 29, 987  
  
Meanwhile, as Serena and several other people were meeting in her chambers, and the Negaverse was preparing to try to wreak havoc again anywhere in the Universe, four Terran girls were meeting in the chambers of one of them, when it was currently about 5 am or so in their part of Earth. Those four girls were the Princesses Mara Zimak, Ginkya Rillis, Yazmis Takya, and Zardiz Buzmura. They were the same girls that'd appeared in a vision to Serena while she was in her Imperial Palace chambers on the Moon a little more than a month before, as a matter of fact. They'd not actually met up with Serena in a physical sense, at least. But they'd still visited her in her Imperial Palace chambers on the Moon then. And they'd all communicated with Serena while they'd all visited her in them.  
  
Princess Mara Zimak was the oldest of the girls now in her chambers. And she was about Serena's age in her life. She herself was about three or so months older than Serena. All her current companions in them were also about Serena's age in their lives, as well. But she was still the oldest of all four girls. She was a tall girl with long auburn hair that fell at least to her waist, if not farther, and which she would often put into braids, whenever she possibly could do so in her life. And she was the cousin of all three of her current companions, who were also cousins to each other as well. She was a rather intelligent girl who often loved to read things and write things, whenever she had enough time to do either or both of those things, in her life. Her three most favorite colors were purple, white, and hunter green. And she'd often wear them whenever she could do so in her life.  
  
Princess Ginkya Rillis was the next oldest of the four Terran girls. And she was a girl of average height and weight with mostly chin-length dark brown hair. Her two most favorite colors were navy blue and maroon. And she often could be found gardening in any of the gardens on the grounds of various Peruvian palaces that belonged to her nation's leaders. Or she could often be found hiking in the nearby mountains, whenever she possibly could do so in her life. She was just a few weeks, at most, older than Serena was now in her life.  
  
Princess Yazmis Takya was about three months younger than Serena. And unlike her fellow cousins now present in Mara's Imperial Palace chambers, she was short and stocky. And she had mostly shoulder-length blonde hair. She often spent her free time making rugs or clothes, if not also blankets, whenever she could find the time and the supplies to do any or all of those things in her life well enough. Silver, crimson, and black were her most favorite colors.  
  
As for Princess Zardiz Buzmura, she normally wore her black hair that fell usually to just past her shoulders up in a ponytail, instead of wearing it completely free. She was the best cook of all four of the girls now in her cousin Mara's Imperial Palace chambers. And she'd often gotten many compliments for her cooking in the past, ever since she was a very young girl growing up in the Peruvian Empire. Her most favorite colors were gold and light green. She'd also been known to play tricks on other people in her life, mostly on any number of her many cousins, if not only on them, in it. She was a lot like Serena and Raye in that regard. For they often tried to play tricks on each other or any number of other people in their lives on the Moon. That might eventually become evident to Serena and the rest of her crowd's members if they ever met up with her. But as of the moment, it was only known by those people who actually knew her well enough in their lives on Terra. She was the youngest of all four girls. For she was at least a few weeks, if not at least a month, younger than her cousin Yazmis Takya. Meaning that she was also at least three months younger than Serena, if not younger than that, in her life.  
  
Mara was asking, "Ginkya, when do you think that we'll see Serena and at least a few of the members of her crowd, if we even do so?"  
  
"I suspect in the next day or two, at most. I don't think her father will be among those that we'd meet. But I suspect that Prince Darien might be, if not others as well from our own world or the worlds of the Moon Kingdom, besides Serena, of course."  
  
"Even Princess Sylvia from Israel, Ginkya?"  
  
"I don't know, Mara. She could be among those that we meet up with, of course, or she could not. I expect that Queen Serenity, at least, will be with Serena, though, if and when she ever shows up around us somewhere in God's very own Universe."  
  
The girls had woken up about 4:30 am local time. And they'd soon met up with each other in Mara's chambers, after they'd all gotten themselves rather early breakfasts. They all were hoping to meet up with Serena and others before too much more time passed. And they wanted to do it, if at all possible, whenever other people who might cause trouble if they knew of Serena and her crowd weren't likely to show up around them at all in their lives. People like certain relatives and governmental officials who were usually too numerous to mention at any particular time, mainly, if not others as well. This was mainly for all the obvious reasons, of course.  
  
They'd often have rather early breakfasts together whenever they could. And whenever they did, they'd often spend a considerable amount of time with each other, mainly doing whatever came to their minds whenever they were doing so, if they weren't doing anything else, in their lives. Of course, they all had certain things they'd periodically have to do in them as well, due to their current positions as Princesses in their nation. And like Serena and a number of other Moon Kingdom Princesses, they were often not liking the fact that they often had to do such things in their lives, for many, if not all, of the same reasons as Serena and other Moon Kingdom Princesses might not like doing such things in their own mortal lives, in God's very own Universe.  
  
Ginkya asked, "Mara, what do we have to do today for our people?"  
  
"Nothing, I believe, Ginkya. I think our day is rather free today, if not entirely. I'll have to talk to Dad and Mom today, at least, however, I think, in order to be as sure as I can be that we'll not likely have to do anything we might not really want to do today."  
  
"Then maybe we can go see if the Moon Kingdom royals, at least, will be coming here today to be with us for a time, Mara."  
  
"I think we might be able to do that, Ginkya. But I'm not entirely sure yet if I'll even be able to do that today."  
  
"Where'd you like to meet them, if at all possible?" asked Yazmis.  
  
"I think in the Rainbow Garden near the Hall of Memories. We'll need to put on some face paint, some feathers, and also, on our left arms, some armbands. Some mostly golden snakeskin armbands, as a matter of fact, that have some agates hanging from them. In essence, our Monitor attire, of course, girls."  
  
"I don't like wearing it so often, Mara," said Zardiz.  
  
"I'm sorry, but Serena will most likely be expecting us to be wearing our Monitor attire the next time we meet up with her, at least. She may not know it's our Monitor attire yet, of course. But she'll still most likely be expecting us to be wearing it if and when she, at least, finally meets us in person. Besides, I think that if we're wearing our Monitor attire, we'll be able to avoid running into people like General Tucariono. He is one of the many people who really don't like the fact that we're not always forced to attend certain official functions, among other things that they don't really like about us all that much."  
  
"Especially if we're carrying our Crystals?" asked Zardiz.  
  
"Yes, if we're carrying the Crystals for Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa, and Puno, I think we'll be able to do that, somehow," answered Mara.  
  
The girls talked for at least a while longer with each other. And they did so at least until Mara asked her cousins to stay in her chambers for a few more minutes. She wanted to see if anyone else would likely want or need to see them again later for at least the next few hours, if not longer. So she then asked them to stay in her chambers, while she'd check with her parents and her paternal grandparents about whatever she wanted to check with them about, in her life, at least. She told them that she'd be back to them again as soon as she could return easily enough to it. They all agreed to do exactly what she'd just told them all to do in her absence from them all in her own chambers. After which she then left them alone together in it for a time.  
  
Mara went to the required people to check on all the things that she wanted to check on for a while here. And she was soon rewarded with the answers that she'd hoped that she'd get from those people, before she'd left her own Imperial Palace chambers. She got those answers from the required people. After which she then returned again to her own chambers, to share those answers with her cousins there.  
  
After she returned to them, she then said, "Cousins, we're free for the rest of the day, at least,  
if not also the upcoming night as well. So I think that we should each get into our own Monitor uniforms as quickly as we can."  
  
Ginkya asked, "Are you sure, Mara?"  
  
"Of course I am. I don't think that Serena and her crowd will be able to recognize us well enough if we don't, and if they show up here very soon somehow while we're not doing so here, Ginkya."  
  
"Very well. But I hope I don't have to wear my Monitor uniform for more than a day or so,  
Mara."  
  
"Understood, Ginkya. But we'll just have to see how things turn out for us all, I think, girls."  
  
"All right, Mara. Now do you want each of us to put them all on here, or should we each put them on in our respective chambers?"  
  
"I think that we should put them on in our respective chambers, Ginkya. Meet me in the Rainbow Garden near the Hall of Memories, by 9:30 am, if at all possible. And please don't forget your Crystals, girls, when you come there to meet up with me as planned."  
  
"What time is it now, Mara?" asked Yazmis.  
  
"About 8:45 am, I think, if I'm not too mistaken about it at all."  
  
"Then we have about forty or so minutes to get ready and to get there. And I think that might be possible for us all to do, even Zardiz," said Yazmis. Yazmis had just said that because Zardiz would sometimes not be ready for certain appointments of hers right on time. And she'd often show up late at such appointments whenever that was currently the case for her in her own life.  
  
"I'm running about as fast as I normally do, in a manner of speaking, with certain things in my life, at least today, Yazmis. So I think that I can be ready to meet up with Mara by 9:30 am, as she's just told us that she'd like us to do, if at all possible, in the Rainbow Garden here in this Imperial Palace of ours."  
  
"That's good, Zardiz," said Yazmis. "Now, judging from the look now on Mara's face, I think we'd best leave her alone again for at least a little while, and get ready ourselves."  
  
Mara had just given them a certain look that'd just made Yazmis think she was now getting bored at least a little bit with being with her cousins right here. So Yazmis eventually suggested that she and the other two girls who were now with Mara in her chambers had better leave it very quickly, if at all possible. Moments later, then, everyone except Mara, of course, left Mara's chambers.  
  
After Mara was left alone again in her chambers, she soon entered her bathroom. And she then prepared for the rest of the day, at least, if not also the upcoming night, as quickly as she possibly could do so. She was actually in and out of her bath within fifteen or so minutes of her beginning her own bath. And she was dressed within another five or so minutes in her very own Monitor uniform. At least in the clothing for it, if nothing else as well. She soon donned her feathers and her armband. And then she painted her face with the necessary face paint, so that she looked exactly like she should look as a Monitor. Which, in fact, was sort of like a Terran Peruvian kind of Sailor Scout at the current time, in the Peruvian Empire of Earth.  
  
After she painted her face in the proper manner with the required face paint, she then checked her appearance in one of her full-length mirrors. That done, she soon picked up a few of her things, left her chambers, shut the door to them behind her, and locked the door to them rather securely, of course. She then went to the Rainbow Garden elsewhere on the Cuzco-area Imperial Palace's grounds. And she was already there by 9:20 am or so. She then waited for her fellow Monitors to show up there, as earlier planned. And she prayed that if Serena ever showed up somehow in their part of Earth, with or without anyone else, she and her cousins would eventually become rather good friends with her, if not any other Moon Kingdom people or any other non-Peruvian Terrans as well. And she did this for most of the time while she was still waiting for her cousins and fellow Monitors to show up in that very garden on the Cuzco-area Imperial Palace's grounds, if not all of it, in fact.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same, readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out! 


	4. Chapter Four

In the last chapter, Serena's four recent visitors from Terra in her recent vision met in one of the visitors' Imperial Palace chambers in Cuzco, Peru. They did this before eventually agreeing to meet in a garden elsewhere on that palace's grounds, and parting for a while. They also agreed to meet there in their respective Monitor uniforms, just in case Serena and several members of her crowd showed up there anytime in the near future. And then they parted, just as soon as the need or the desire to do so arose for them all in their lives.  
  
In the next chapter, Sylvia will converse periodically with God, her siblings, and at least one or two other people in her life. And she will prepare to be part of the Scouts' adventure to Peru, as well. By the end of this next chapter, she'll no longer be in her Wakefield Castle chambers, in fact, readers. For she will be on her way to Peru, through God's transporting her there rather suddenly.  
  
Now, without any further ado, if we may, let's get on with the next chapter-like section to this particular story, people. I hope that you all enjoy it quite a bit, of course. And that you'll all quite often read and review it as well, obviously enough. Remember, standard disclaimers will apply here, wherever necessary, readers. So let's get on with the story again, readers, if we may then do so, of course!  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover  
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story  
  
Crusader Garden In Wakefield Castle  
Jerusalem, Israel, Earth  
January 29, 987 - January 30, 987  
  
Meanwhile, as Serena was napping in her bed, back on Earth, and on the grounds of Wakefield Castle in Jerusalem, Israel, there, Princess Sylvia Wakefield was working in a garden. Most specifically, she was now working on a number of her roses and other kinds of flowers most likely too numerous to mention at the current time. Mainly on her roses, though she was planning to check on a number of her other kinds of flowers later, if she got that chance later that day or sometime the following day.  
  
She was now working on a rosebush of flowers that she'd recently planted, and which she'd planted in her garden not long after she'd returned from the Moon the first time that she'd been there in her life. Queen Serenity had secretly given her at least a few seeds for plants native to various worlds in the Moon Kingdom. And Queen Serenity had thought that they might grow rather well in Sylvia's own garden back on Earth. Shortly after returning to the Earth for the first time from the Moon, Sylvia had then planted those seeds in her garden.  
  
Sylvia had maintained a garden in Wakefield Castle from a very young age. And she'd called it the Crusader Garden from the start. Only a rare few people were normally allowed to be in her garden. For when she'd begun it on the grounds of Wakefield Castle, she'd insisted very strongly that should be the case. Her parents couldn't normally enter it without her prior permission or her prior knowledge. For she'd also insisted just as strongly that they shouldn't be normally able to invade her privacy by doing so. Her siblings often could be in her garden, in fact, as could a few of the Wakefields' servants. Whenever she was away, she'd sometimes let her siblings know that she'd be away for at least a little while, as well as at least one or two of the servants who she'd often not mind them being in her garden without her prior permission or her prior knowledge.  
  
The kind of rosebush that she was currently working on was a rosebush of the Belinda Cromeke variety. And she worked on it until it was almost 9 at night, if not later than that. As she did so, she then saw something suddenly streak across the sky like a comet. It headed rather straight for her chambers in the palace. And it flew through an open window in them which Sylvia had intentionally left open to air out her chambers at least a little bit while she was otherwise occupied on the grounds of Wakefield Castle. She wondered what'd just entered her chambers through that open window. But she was glad that she had her chambers secured from the inside, so that nobody would easily be able to enter her chambers without her consent or knowledge.  
  
Shortly after she woke up, she'd left her chambers through a window. Specifically the one she'd swung to a trellis from its sill, as a matter of fact. She'd swung to that particular trellis. And she'd descended down it behind a rather large rosebush with many roses on it. Eventually, she'd gotten underground, and had made her way underground to just under her garden. When she was sure that nobody else was currently in her garden, she soon came out of the tunnel that ran from somewhere near her chambers to somewhere near that garden of hers. She exited that tunnel by pushing a boulder to one side of it, so that she could leave it again. She exited that tunnel, after which she then replaced that boulder in front of that tunnel, of course.  
  
Sylvia had been in her garden already for about three hours or so, if not longer than that, when she saw that something had just flown into her chambers while she was still in her garden. She worked on a number of her plants for at least a little while longer, though. And she did so at least until she heard a voice in her head that then said, "Sylvia, return to your own chambers within twenty minutes. You're needed elsewhere for a time. And I have to talk to you in your chambers before you leave here again."  
  
When she heard that voice, she then finished whatever she was doing, just as quickly as she then could do so. And then she quite quickly stowed away all her garden-care items in the required places. Then she went to the boulder which she'd earlier put back in front of the tunnel in question that ran to just under her garden from somewhere near her chambers in Wakefield Castle. And she then rolled it to one side. With that done here, she then entered that tunnel, pulling the boulder back into its proper position in front of it, as she did so. She made it down to the bottom of that tunnel no more than a few moments later. And she transformed into her Sailor Scout state as Junior Sailor Skyhorse, for at least the time being. Minutes later, she then appeared at the bottom of the tunnel near where she'd be going back up to her chambers again. Then she soon began rising until she was at least high enough to access the ladder that'd bring her to the surface well enough. Several more rather brief moments later, she was at the surface again below her chambers. After she was, she then rolled another boulder back into its proper position to hide the necessary tunnel. Up the trellis she went, using the very same blanket-made rope she'd earlier used to get down to the ground below her chambers in Wakefield Castle. After getting there, she soon swung to the necessary window's sill. And eventually, she climbed back into her chambers. Five minutes later, after she transformed back out of her Sailor Scout state of being as Junior Sailor Skyhorse, the voice spoke to her again. It was God speaking to her, as a matter of fact.  
  
He said, "Sylvia, I'm sending a number of you to a land you don't yet know about. Even though you've seen much of Earth so far in your life, I know. I'm sending you and others to another continent on which none of you have ever set foot. This continent's mostly in the Southern Hemisphere of Earth. And I'm sending you to a land called the Peruvian Empire. You'll meet up with people you've never met before, and others that you've met up with at least once. You and others will have to do what you can to protect the Peruvian Empire and its people from serious, if not deadly harm, to the best of your respective abilities. An evil force will seek to gain a foothold of some sort in your part of My Universe. And you and others will have to oppose them as much as you can in it."  
  
"God, is this evil force the Negaverse, by any chance?"  
  
"Yes, My child Sylvia, it is. You and others will be meeting up with each other there. You're to work with them to the best of your ability to do so, and they're to do the same with you, if at all possible."  
  
"May I ask who those people might be?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Sylvia. But you'll just have to wait and see. If there are people there in Israel who don't really like you all that much, in fact, if they somehow know who you're going to meet, then they could possibly use that information against you, your siblings, and/or anyone else who is quite sufficiently close to you besides your parents. I understand you may not like it very much. But I won't tell you who you'll be meeting with elsewhere on Earth. And if I'm not telling you, then I won't tell anyone else who you'll be meeting with who they'll be meeting with, if they don't already know somehow."  
  
God and Sylvia then conversed in private with each other for at least a little while longer,  
before God said, "Be in your normal state of being in the Hall of Mirrors by 12 pm tomorrow, in the Jerusalem, Israel, local area of Earth. And be alone, when you do so here, Sylvia. I'll talk to you again then, if I haven't already done so, about certain things by then tomorrow morning."  
  
Then God soon said, just before He eventually quit talking to her, "Enjoy the rest of the night,  
and the following morning, then, Sylvia, if you possibly can. Sleep well, My child, and may many pleasant dreams come your way tonight."  
  
Sylvia then went to where the thing that had come through her window earlier was now resting on the floor near her bed. It was a large canister with three smaller canisters inside it. She opened all the necessary canisters. And she soon examined each of their contents for a while. As expected, there'd been canisters from Darien, Rolando, and Queen Serenity. She handled each of them as she'd need to handle them, after she'd examined all their contents to a sufficient enough degree. Of course, whenever the need arose for her to do so, she put some of the things from them in the secret underground cavern she knew of under or near Wakefield Castle.  
  
After she did so, she then wrote a note for her siblings, just in case they came to her chambers while she was elsewhere in God's Universe. In it, she told them, essentially, that she was going to try to spend at least a week or two with Junior Sailor Skyhorse and other mutual friends of theirs. Of course, she didn't tell them that she was also secretly Junior Sailor Skyhorse, and who she might be meeting with while she was away from Wakefield Castle. But she told them that she'd hopefully be back in the Jerusalem area of Israel within the next few weeks or months, at the very latest. She told them that she didn't know if, when, and where she might be able to meet up with those certain friends of theirs, in the Universe. And it was still true, even after she'd just finished talking in private with God sometime before, in her very own Wakefield Castle chambers.  
  
She had a feeling that her siblings wouldn't like the fact that she'd likely not be around in the local area for a while, if she wasn't too mistaken about her latest trip to try to meet up with friends of theirs, of course. But she still realized that if she wasn't, it likely couldn't be helped, for all the obvious reasons.  
  
Eventually, she signed that note, as Sylvia. And she then put it in a place where her three siblings would likely be able to find it, but where nobody else but her siblings might be able to find it, and access it easily enough. Then she soon began preparing for her likely trip to the Peruvian Empire elsewhere on Earth, getting all the things that she'd most likely need to bring with her to there together, as quickly and as easily as she could do just that. With that done, she then hid all of those things in her hidden alcove, at least for the time being, if not elsewhere on or under the grounds of Wakefield Castle. Later, she'd be taking all those things with her when she was able to get away from Wakefield Castle easily enough sometime very soon afterward. Supposing, of course, that she was currently able to do so at that time, if it was ever somehow possible for her to do just that in her life.  
  
She wrote at least a few more notes, which she soon deposited under the various doors of her siblings and a few of the servants. This she did so that her animals, her garden, and other things of hers would hopefully be taken care sufficiently well in her absence, while she was elsewhere in the Universe. She didn't say more than she absolutely had to say in them, of course. And after she wrote them and delivered them to the necessary people's chambers in Wakefield Castle, she soon went to the main stable on the grounds of Wakefield Castle.  
  
She was greeted very briefly by a few nearby grooms, after she then went there. And after she was, she soon said to them, "Reuben and Timothy, I'm going to be taking my horse Moonlight Serenade out for a while. Not a word to my parents or anyone else who we can't trust to keep my secret ride on him secret sufficiently well. I really don't expect to be back before 6 tomorrow morning here in the Jerusalem area of Israel. Have the south drawbridge down no later than 7 tomorrow morning, and no earlier than 6:40 tomorrow morning. I'll most likely show up around the time that I'll want you two to have the south drawbridge lowered by, if not earlier. Keep it down until no later than 7:20 am in the morning, if I'm not back by then. If I'm not back by 7:20 am, I'll return later to this castle through a secret underground cavern, if at all possible. And then I'll somehow gain access to this main stable through it, if I can. Specifically Cavern Eight, you two. Have a blue flag in that cavern if it'll be safe for me to show in the main stable by 9:30 am tomorrow, just in case I have to access the castle's grounds through it. Have a black flag if it'll not be safe for me to do so by then, if that's true for me as well. I hope to return, though, by 7:20 am, you two. Remember, not a word to my parents or any of the people who don't like me much here in Israel, at least, you two. Or I'll likely be rather upset with you both."  
  
Reuben and Timothy then agreed to do everything that she'd just told them to do here. After which, Sylvia soon left on her currently-chosen horse. She rode her horse Moonlight Serenade to a rather secluded retreat of hers near Jerusalem, but not too near Jerusalem. After she did so, she then soon spent a few hours trying to enjoy herself as much as she could while she was there. She even decided to swim for a while in a little pool of hers there, after putting her horse in a stable area there moments before. After she was sure that he was taken care well enough for at least a while, she then soon decided to swim in that pool.  
  
Sylvia periodically swam alone in that little pool until about 1:30 in the morning of January 30, 987. She eventually went into her little cabin near that same pool, and she then went to her bedroom in that rather cozy cabin. She slept for at least a few hours in her bedroom there, before she then arose from that bed of hers. And she then went to her cabin's kitchen area. She rather quickly and rather efficiently then made herself some breakfast. After which she soon consumed it, of course, before she'd naturally have to ride back to Wakefield Castle again.  
  
After Sylvia had her breakfast at about 5:45 in the morning, she then went out to her stable area. And she checked on her horse, of course. After taking care of him as needed, she soon gathered up all the things that she'd have to bring back from her rather remote retreat, no matter what it was. And she then put them on her horse whenever necessary, of course. Then she soon set off again back on her very own Moonlight Serenade for Wakefield Castle, as she'd earlier planned to do. She arrived back in front of the required drawbridge only about four minutes after 6:40 am. And she was across that drawbridge within another two minutes, after she saw that it was down just as she'd wanted it to be between 6:40 am and 7:20 am. She soon brought Moonlight Serenade back to the main stable area. And she removed all her things from off his back, of course. She quickly stowed all those things of hers that she'd taken off him in a cart under some hay. At least long enough for her to unsaddle him, and take care of him enough, so that he'd be able to enjoy the rest of the day, at least, if she wasn't with him then. After she took care of him in the required ways, she then brought the cart to another part of the main stable area on Wakefield Castle's own grounds. And she soon palmed a certain brick on the nearest wall of that stable area. Part of the wall slid to one side, in fact. And she then pulled the cart into a tunnel behind where that wall would normally be. After doing that, she took a torch off the wall somewhat randomly. And she soon palmed another brick on the left side of the tunnel as she'd entered it. That soon made the wall slide back into its normal position in front of that tunnel. A few moments later, at most, she was then in the secret passageway between her alcove and a secret underground cavern, after she'd dropped a few things off in that secret underground cavern.  
  
After a few more minutes passed, and she was sure that nobody else would actually be able to see, to hear, or to detect her, somehow in her alcove, she then exited that secret passageway of hers for her alcove. Of course, she also brought her remaining things back to her alcove with her. She left some of them in her alcove. For she'd likely not be needing them. Or she'd not be able to bring them with her wherever she was likely going to go in the very near future, whatever the case might possibly be, either for them or for her. Everything else that she didn't leave in her alcove, she then brought back into her chambers with her, of course.  
  
Five minutes after she did so, she then heard a few knocks on her door. All three of her siblings were outside her door, when she opened it to see who was outside her chambers at the current time. She then let them all in, of course. And when they were all sufficiently inside her chambers, behind a bolted door, she then said, "Kids, I'm going away again, and I expect to somehow leave this castle by local noon, I think. If you all look behind my Royal Crescent Seashell Quilt, some length of time after dinner, you'll all see a vault. In this vault, there's a single note for all three of you from me. You're not to share its contents with anyone else, not even any of our servants, if you can possibly avoid it, after you all read it. You're only to lift that quilt after you three eat dinner with Mother and Father, and no earlier than that. When you then do so, you're all to be absolutely alone here in my chambers, for the obvious reasons. You're to slide the picture of me and Junior Sailor Skyhorse to one side behind that quilt first, then the small shield behind that picture to one side, in order to access that vault. You're not to say a word, if at all possible, to let them or any other people around here know that I'm going away for a time. I don't know how long I'll be gone, when I'll be able to get back, and in what condition I'll ever return here in, if I ever do return here somehow. If they ask about where I might be today, at least, then I want you all to say, simply, 'Sylvia's now searching for things for her garden, or for quilting supplies. But we're not exactly sure which it is right now, and where she'll be searching for those things for herself.' And as a matter of fact, you wouldn't be lying about that. For I'll be looking for such things for my garden or for my quilting sessions, whenever I possibly can be. I've got a rather long way to go to get those things, I think. And it may be several weeks or months, before I can return with such things for myself, at least, kids. I'll return to you all as soon as I can, if it's at all possible for me to do so. And eventually, if at all possible, and if God wills it, we'll all somehow leave here and somehow get away from those who don't really like us all that much here in Israel."  
  
She talked with them for a little while about various things of at least some importance to them all in their respective lives, then she eventually said, "Kids, I have another commitment to attend to shortly. And I'll need you to leave me alone for a while, so that I can get ready for it now. Becky, besides you, me, and a few of the grooms, Moonlight Serenade won't let anyone else ride him at all, normally. While I'm gone from here to wherever I've gone, I want you to exercise him at least once a week, if at all possible. Tell him his main mistress is off on another journey elsewhere. And that you don't know when I'll return here to him. He may not like it very much here. But he'll eventually accept it, I think, if things go sufficiently well for all of us here in Wakefield Castle he trusts well enough. Uly, I'm putting you in charge of Princess Caralina, at least for the time being. But you'll still likely need help with her from Reuben and Timothy, at least, if not other servants of ours as well. She'll probably want to run for a while within the next two or three months, if I don't return by then. For she's almost old enough to be paired up with Great Sea's Edge or Moonlight Serenade, I think. I hope to actually return before then, Ulysses. But if I'm not back here by late April or early May, I want you to try to pair her up with Moonlight Serenade, if at all possible. Moonlight Serenade has that white blaze on his nose that I'm hoping will be passed along to his descendants at least every once in a while. And Princess Caralina has the characteristics of an excellent racer, which I want passed along to her descendants as well, if at all possible. Plus her mother was the daughter of Glorious Conquest and Crystal Dream, two well-known former warhorses once owned by General Simon Termilicus, who was once King Isaac's highest-ranking general before his death about five to ten years ago."  
  
"And you want to try to make sure that at least one of her descendants might be able to be a rather well-known warhorse?" asked Ulysses.  
  
"If possible, yes, Uly. I don't want her paired up, if it can possibly be avoided, with Great Sea's Edge. For he often shows his darker side by going after other horses near him. Especially horses that seem to be having more success getting paired up with mares than he's currently having in his life. Besides, I think he's too old to produce good horses anymore. The last time he was bred with another mare, that mare nearly lost both her foals and her life. She was barely able to survive the process of giving birth to those twin foals. And she has never been the same as she was before she was paired up with him. I fear that he ruined her for future use as a breeding mare when he was paired up with her. I don't think that we'll see any more foals for Celestial Realm's Promise, at least not for a long while, if ever again. Mother and Father may want Princess Caralina to be paired up with Great Sea's Edge. But you're to do your very best to make sure that she isn't, if you possibly can do so. I intend for her to be paired up with Moonlight Serenade, and him alone. He doesn't have quite the temper that Great Sea's Edge does. And he doesn't usually get jealous with other horses when they get paired up with each other. Occasionally, of course, he might. But not as much as Great Sea's Edge has already been known to do in the past. He should be able to be paired up with a mare just a little while before Princess Caralina should be able to be paired up with a stallion for the first time. I think, that if he and she often get paired up with each other, they might also produce several foals of multiple colors. Specifically in the colors that the Sailor Scouts' uniforms are usually in, I think."  
  
"Are you hoping for at least one purple horse, Sylvia, then?"  
  
"If God sees fit to make that possible, why not, Uly?"  
  
"I just think that it'd be weird to have a purple horse, Sylvia. That's all I'm saying right now."  
  
"Understood, Uly. If I'm not back in time, then I want you to do whatever you can to take care of Princess Caralina and Moonlight Serenade, no matter what it is, if you can. Under absolutely no circumstances, if at all possible, are you to let them pair Princess Caralina with Great Sea's Edge, Ulysses. Even if you have to take her abroad, do whatever you can to protect them both in my absence, especially her. For I fear that if she's paired up with Great Sea's Edge, she won't be able to survive to term. And her foals will also die, if that's true here, because of it. If I don't return by June, you three are to head straight for our nearest port, and board the first ship for Japan that you can. Even if you have to bring any number of my horses with you when you do so. Martha, in my absence, you, Phyllis, and Tryphosa are to work in my garden whenever possible. You three are the only ones I want working in my garden while I'm out of the area for a time. I don't care if you work together in it or not. But I want you three to work in it while I'm gone. Becky, you're not to work in it at all, even if one or more of the three of them are unable to work in it during my absence. At least while they're all still alive. Only if they're all dead, will you be able to work in my garden. For the garden won't produce for you if you work in it otherwise. God has promised me this, after I learned that I'd be going away again to some place I've never likely been to before. I don't really expect trouble here in this area that might kill Martha, Phyllis, and/or Tryphosa, of course, Becky, but I'd still not really be surprised, all that much, if it ever happened to come here somehow in my absence from the Jerusalem local area in Israel."  
  
Sylvia soon dismissed her siblings, who rather reluctantly left her alone again in her chambers. She spent only a few more minutes gathering up all her necessary things. And she put them on another cart from a storage room near her chambers. She loaded up that cart, and after she was sure that everything else in her Wakefield Castle chambers was as she still wanted it in those chambers, she eventually left them behind. She did this only after securing her door rather well against those who didn't know how to get into it easily enough, and who might want to gain unnecessary access to it, at all, for all the obvious reasons, of course. She buried a key deep in the soil of a potted plant just outside her chambers in such a manner that only her siblings and a rare few of the Wakefields' servants would easily enough be able to find that key, if they knew it was there at all. Then she finally set off for the Hall of Mirrors in her normal state of being, just as God had directed her to do during her earlier chat with Him the night before. Moments after 11 am, she was no longer in the Hall of Mirrors. For she'd left them as God had said that she would, for a place that she'd never yet been to in actual reality. She was on time for that meeting with God there in the Hall of Mirrors. And within five or so minutes after 11 in the morning of January 30, 987, she was on her way to wherever He'd be bringing her to elsewhere in His very own Universe, wherever that place might be in it at all.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same,  
readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course,  
readers! Over and out! 


	5. Chapter Five

In the last chapter, Sylvia spent a considerable amount of time conversing with God, her siblings, and at least one or two other people in her life who were close enough to her in it. She also prepared to go to somewhere else on Earth that she'd never been to before. She didn't know how long she'd be there yet, in fact. But she still did so, just the same. She also didn't know exactly would happen for her and others when she did so, for the obvious reasons, of course. But she knew that she'd be going elsewhere on Earth for a time, in her own life. At the end of the last chapter, she began traveling to that other place in the world, with God's help, in fact.  
  
In the next chapter for this fourth story, then, as she was being divinely transferred to elsewhere on Earth, several other people and/or cats that she now knew in her life would also be preparing for their next adventure as Sailor Scouts, or as guardian cats, in the Milky Way Galaxy's Sol system. Including, obviously enough, Serena Moon and several other members of her current crowd, of course. Like Queen Serenity, for instance. The aforementioned sentients who'd be going along on that adventure would then eventually be transferred to Cuzco in the Peruvian Empire on Earth, in much the same way, if not the exact same way, that Sylvia had earlier, or will have, been, as well.  
  
Now, without further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. For there are still plenty more chapters to put up for this particular story here. And I'd really prefer to put them all up in their proper order, just as soon as I possibly can, in fact. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any or all of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories, for the obvious reasons, people. Remember, standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever the need arises. However, I still would hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here, for I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you all will continue to read and enjoy it, for it's obvious that you all haven't recently reviewed any of my fan fiction work here on , readers! It would be real nice to get some clean, courteous, and constructive reviews, though, just the same,  
people. Now to the story!  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover  
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story  
  
Main Ballroom In The Imperial Palace  
Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon  
January 29, 987 - January 30, 987  
  
While Sylvia was otherwise occupied back on Earth, Serena and several members of her crowd were getting together in the main ballroom of the Imperial Palace, and it was near, if not past,  
Earthrise. They were there because Queen Serenity hadn't been able to cancel that night's ball and fireworks show in time. Serena was currently in the middle of a conversation with her sisters while she watched Raye and several other people start to pair up for any number of dances for the ball in question currently. Those people included, of course, Amy, Mina, and Lita, if not others as well.  
  
Destiny was sitting on a chair between her sisters, with Serena on her right, and Bethany on her left. She was also saying, "Serena, I suppose that you're missing Darien quite a bit right now."  
  
"Yes, I suppose you could say that, Destiny."  
  
"Do you think our next adventure will come our way rather quickly?" asked Destiny.  
  
"I have this strange feeling that by this time tomorrow night, it'll come our way. And I also have this feeling that a certain Terran Princess that we know of will eventually meet up with us on it somehow."  
  
Bethany asked, "Sylvia?"  
  
"You bet, Bethany."  
  
"What about Rolando and Darien?"  
  
"I don't think so, at least not this time. Of course, I hope that Darien does show up around us at least once, if not more often than that, before the babies are due to come to us, if at all possible. But he might not be with us while we're on our next adventure, at least. I hope that won't be the case, of course, but it still might be."  
  
"So what'll you do if it is, Serena?" asked Destiny.  
  
"I guess I'll have to deal with it as best as I can, of course. I guess it might be good practice for me, just in case the Negaverse ever captures him in the future, as I'm afraid that they'll eventually do, after those of us who somehow survive our Moon Kingdom's demise eventually end up somehow in the 20th Century, I think."  
  
"You mean after the Imperium Silver Crystal might show up at least once more in the future?"  
  
"I believe so, Bethany. I believe so."  
  
"And what if we're not around then?"  
  
"Then I really hope that I'll still remember you two while I'm in the future. And if you're not with us in the future at least once more, I hope that you'll both be in the Celestial City, of course."  
  
"So do we, Serena, if we're no longer with you all anywhere else in God's very own Universe,  
of course."  
  
Just then, Raye and Chad came up to the three of them, as did Amy, Greg, Mina, Steven, Lita,  
and Ken. Raye then asked, "Girls, what are you talking about now?"  
  
"The future, Raye, and, of course, Darien, at least."  
  
"So you're still hanging the Earth over him?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking, Raye, you might possibly say that. I don't think I'll ever feel for another guy the way I'll feel for him, Raye Erica Hino. And there's no other guy I feel more strongly for in my life. Except for maybe my Dad and any of my uncles who I get along well enough with in my life, if any other guy besides Darien as well in it."  
  
"I see. So there's likely no chance that you'll ever be attracted to another guy more than you are to him?"  
  
"That's right, Raye, if I'm not mistaken about such things."  
  
"Not even Andrew?"  
  
"Not even Andrew, Raye."  
  
"Well, I think that you'll be interested in him quite a bit in the future at least once, if not more often than that, Serena."  
  
"Me and who else, at least? I ask this because when I'm often interested in a particular guy,  
at least one of you is often interested in him too. As evidenced by you and me, at least, with Darien, of course."  
  
"Lita, I believe. But he'll still stick with Rita, and Lita will still stick with Ken, I think, in the future, if enough of us somehow survive the end of the Moon Kingdom that Queen Serenity and others have often predicted will eventually come our way in the future."  
  
"I'll be attracted at least a little to Andrew?"  
  
"At least once, Lita. If I'm not mistaken about that, of course."  
  
"Will I be seeing Ken at this time, most likely?"  
  
"I don't think so. You might see him at least once, but I don't think that you'll be seeing him whenever you're attracted to Andrew at least once, if not more than once."  
  
"What about me and Greg, then, Raye?" asked Amy.  
  
"I suspect that if you both survive into the future, as I think that you both will, you'll only meet up with each other every once in a while, at least normally, for a certain unknown length of time. But I think that eventually, you'll fall in love with each other, and that you'll someday marry each other in the future. Though I don't know yet, if I ever will, when and where you'll be able to do that at all, if both of you can someday possibly marry each other in the future."  
  
Serena and her sisters talked a while longer with Raye and the rest of their current companions, before Queen Serenity soon said, "I now proclaim this ball to be open, and for it to be the last one for at least two weeks, if not longer, unless I later change my mind about such things in the meantime. And there'll be no more balls or fireworks shows in the next two weeks, at least, after this night's ball and fireworks show is over. Unless I change my mind in the meantime, that is. Enjoy yourselves, for this'll likely be the last ball and fireworks show here for a while."  
  
Then that ball, of course, began right away, as did the related fireworks show. Queen Serenity eventually came to Serena and her current companions. And she then said, "Serena, I want you, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, Destiny, Bethany, Hannah, Alexis, Michelle, and Susan in the Hall of Memories in two hours, if at all possible. Three hours, at the most, in any case, though. It seems we now have another matter that'll eventually require our full attention before too much longer. Prepare for a long stay away from here, girls. It may be quite a while before we can return here from wherever we're going. I can't tell you where we'll be going as long as these boys are with you, though. We all have to be quite alone with each other before I can tell you all exactly where we're going."  
  
"Understood, Mother," said Serena.  
  
"I suggest that within the next hour, then, you girls return to each of your respective chambers and get ready for that long trip to wherever we're going to go next, if at all possible. When you come to the Hall of Memories, bring only the most essential things with you, please. For we may not be able to bring a lot of things with us on our next adventure to wherever we're going next in God's very own Universe."  
  
"Queen Serenity, is it really necessary for the girls to leave again so soon after we just got back here to see them?" asked Ken.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so, Ken. I know you may not like it, and that your fellow guys might not like it, but I have need of them for the time being, I think, or at least I will very shortly have need of them."  
  
"I don't like it. How are Lita and I ever going to become really good friends to each other if we're apart from each other so often in our lives?" asked Ken.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ken. I don't like it either, of course. But she'll still have to leave here for a while to wherever else we'll be needed next in God's very own Universe. As will several of the other people here, as a matter of fact."  
  
"You mean your daughters, Amy, Raye, Mina, Hannah, Alexis, Michelle, and Susan, at least,  
if not others as well?"  
  
"Yes, even my three daughters, Ken. I don't like it, but even Serena and her twin sisters won't be exempt from going elsewhere with me in the meantime. I'd rather have them safe here, if at all possible, instead of having to leave here again, but it's just not possible for them to avoid having to leave here again very soon, unfortunately. I can't tell you boys where they'll be going with me. But I can tell you that I'll do whatever I can to protect them, if the need arises, while we're all away from here on our next adventure. For I really don't want them to lose their futures at all, if it can possibly be avoided at all."  
  
Then Queen Serenity left the girls alone with their current male companions a few moments later. And she soon met briefly with her husband and her brother Raphael in another part of the Imperial Palace's main ballroom. She did this as the girls and the boys spent at least the next half hour with each other, whenever possible. She eventually left the main ballroom with Princes Daniel and Raphael. And she went to another part of the Imperial Palace with them for a while.  
  
Eventually, while she did so, Serena and at least six other girls here, if not more than that, then left the main ballroom as well, after they'd parted from the boys elsewhere in it. They left it with four other girls and two cats, after they'd found Hannah, Michelle, Susan, Luna, Alexis, and Artemis in it in that particular order. Luna and Artemis had entered the main ballroom while Queen Serenity was still in conversation with several other members of Serena's crowd, while Hannah and the other three girls that Queen Serenity had earlier mentioned as she'd been doing so had been in it since at least an hour before Earthrise in the Moon City area of the Moon.  
  
Serena, Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina, Destiny, Bethany, Hannah, Alexis, Michelle, and Susan soon returned to each of their respective chambers. And they all began getting ready for what appeared to be their next adventure in God's very own Universe. Artemis eventually went into Mina's chambers. While Luna did the same for Serena's chambers.  
  
As Serena was getting ready to go on that next adventure, she often talked with Luna about various things of importance to both of them in their lives. Even while she changed out of the gown that she'd just worn at that ball, she still talked with Luna about such things.  
  
As Serena changed her clothes behind a divider, she asked Luna, "Do you think that we'll be able to see Darien during this next adventure to wherever we're heading next, Luna?"  
  
Luna thought about that for at least a few seconds. And then she eventually said, "Serena, I don't think so. Or at least, your mother doesn't seem to think so, right now. You may have to wait until you return here, if you ever do, before you're actually able to see him at least once more in person. I believe that the same thing will be true for the rest of us as it'll be for you, if that's actually the case for you by then."  
  
Serena peeked her head at least a little bit out from behind that divider. And she then looked at Luna, as Luna sat right in the middle of her bed. She then said, "I want to be with Darien so much, that I'd go to Japan tonight, if it was at all possible for me to do so, Luna. Please bring me my locket now from my bedside table, Luna. I don't want to step out from behind here until I'm dressed decently enough again, just in case a guy wants to speak with me here in my chambers, if at all possible."  
  
Luna did so, and then she asked, "Is there anything else you want me to get for you now,  
Serena?"  
  
"My pink sleeveless sweater, if you please. It seems that there's a little rip in the sleeve of this blue and white sweater that I didn't notice when I picked it out of my closet, near the right shoulder. I think I'll have to have somebody fix it up for me before I wear it again, for I don't seem to be able to sew very well at the current time in my life, if I'll ever be able to do so in it someday."  
  
So Luna went to one of Serena's closets, slid its door to one side, and then climbed up several shelves in it, until she was able to find that sweater hanging from a rod in Serena's applicable closet. She then jumped onto that rod. And she soon made her way to where Serena's sweater was hanging on it. While reaching down until she was able to lift the sweater's hanger free from that rod, Luna also somehow managed to keep her balance well enough to avoid falling from that rod at all. She soon had that hanger hanging from one of her front paws. And when she had it hanging from it well enough to suit her enough, she then began to back off that rod, of course. No more than a minute later, then, she was back on top of the nearest shelf in Serena's applicable closet. And she was beginning to make her way down to the floor with Serena's sweater as quickly and as safely as she possibly could do that at all. Moments later, she then brought Serena her sweater behind that divider. And then within a minute later, a random pair of denim blue jeans from another shelf in that closet of Serena's, once Serena asked her to do so. Serena quickly donned those blue jeans and that pink sweater, after Luna brought them to her, of course. Moments after doing so, Serena then walked out from behind her divider again, so that she could check her appearance in the nearest full-length mirror in her chambers. She was soon satisfied enough with it, after she'd also taken care of her long blonde hair first, of course. And Luna also thought she was rather good-looking in her current outfit. Serena then picked up her locket, and a dark blue neckerchief. And she soon put them on her person, if they weren't already there. She put her locket in her left front pocket, and put her neckerchief on, around her own neck, of course, as well.  
  
She then began assembling all the other things that she thought she might be able to take with her on her next adventure, if she'd not already done so. It took her a while to do so, in fact. For she'd possibly have preferred to bring a whole lot of things with her, if at all possible. But, due to her mother's earlier instructions, she couldn't bring everything that she'd most likely want to bring with her on it. She had to content herself with bringing only a few scrolls with her, besides all the other things that she'd have to bring with her, most likely, on her next adventure. She packed all the things that she'd likely be able to bring with her on it into one or two large sacks.  
  
In that sack or those sacks, she put no more than eight scrolls of hers. She also put one of her gowns, as well as four changes of clothes, in that sack or those sacks. Several items that related to her position as the Moon Princess in the Moon Kingdom also ended up in the sack or sacks she was now loading up, if not all of them. Four pairs of footwear soon followed those items as well. As well as other items that she thought that she might need to use on her next adventure in God's very own Universe, such as at least one knife, a medical kit, at least one pair of sunglasses, and at least one item of headgear, for example. Finally, when Serena had everything packed well enough into the sack or sacks in question, she soon tied them off in the required manner, before she placed them all on a cart that Luna got for her while she was still packing for her next trip.  
  
Then, after the sack or sacks were most certainly on that cart well enough, and secured sufficiently enough to it, Serena soon said, "Luna, let's go. We've only got a little time left, I believe, for us to get to the Hall of Memories before my mother, at least, really wants us there, if at all possible. Let's go there, then, and see if we're there before the others get there as well, if they're not already there, Luna."  
  
So Luna and Serena did that moments later, after Serena had quickly jotted down a note for her father and her Uncle Raph. This was just in case she didn't see them again for quite a while, and just in case she'd forgotten to tell them anything the last time that she'd seen them both within the last few hours or days, as the case might be for her and them, of course. Serena jotted down that particular note on a rather small piece of parchment, most likely. And then she left it on top of her bedside table, under a new paperweight she'd just received as a present from Princess Michelle at Christmas, about a month before the current date.  
  
She soon left her chambers as quickly as she could with Luna for the Hall of Memories, after she'd made as sure as she possibly could make sure that nobody who didn't need to be in her chambers for any reason whatsoever during her upcoming absence would likely be able to get into it easily enough, of course. Those people, of course, wouldn't include her father Prince Daniel, her uncle Prince Raphael, or her honey Prince Darien, at least, if not anyone else as well, for all the obvious reasons.  
  
She and Luna were in the Hall of Memories just about ten to fifteen minutes, at most, before all the other Princesses and the cat Artemis who'd likely be going with her on her next adventure got there. But not before both her parents were already there. When she and Luna entered the Hall of Memories, her parents were already there, saying their goodbyes to each other for a time. Mostly with kisses, of course. Serena and Luna watched them kiss each other for a little while longer, before Serena then suddenly cleared her throat, and she got their attention by doing so.  
  
Queen Serenity saw her first, then she soon said, "I see you're here now, Serena."  
  
"Yes, I am, Mother."  
  
"How long have you been here now, Serena?"  
  
"About five minutes, Mom."  
  
"What do you think of your Dad and me kissing here?"  
  
"It's fine with me, I suppose. You're likely going to be apart for a time, so I don't really mind it all that much right now, Mom."  
  
"I see, Serena. Luna, do you mind me and Daniel kissing at all either, by any chance?" As she asked Luna that, Serena sat down on a nearby bench in the Hall of Memories.  
  
"No, of course not, Niti. At least partly since you're married to each other right now, I don't,  
if not entirely. And I think it's good for Serena to see that her parents love each other enough to kiss their spouse at least every so often in their lives. Many children may not see that from their parents at all, or very rarely, if ever. And she may be right about you being away from her father for a while, if we're all not too mistaken about such things in our lives."  
  
"I see, Luna," said Queen Serenity.  
  
Daniel said, "It's good that we're still quite in love with each other, you two. And it could be that we always will be. Even if something bad happens to either or both of us, as several of us might think might happen eventually here in the Moon Kingdom."  
  
"Even your possible death, Dad?"  
  
"Well, yes, Serena, even my possible death sometime yet in the future. Listen, Serena, I know that you and your siblings might miss me quite a bit if I get killed before the Negaverse gets here to the Moon, for the obvious reasons. But if it's really my time to go, then I must go, if it's truly God's will that I do so. If I do go, though, Serena, I want you to do all you can to help your mother deal with my loss, if at all possible. Not to mention yourself and your siblings, of course. And to try to possibly buy more time for our Moon Kingdom to try to protect itself, if you can. It's very likely that we'll all either die or fall asleep, as the case might be, Serena. At least we might all do that at least once, if not more often than that. Even you, as you often seem to think, of course. It may not be a very pleasant idea for us, of course. But death happens for everyone, unless God sees fit to bring them to the Celestial City before they do so. Do you remember hearing about Enoch from me and others at least once in your life?"  
  
"Yes, Dad, I do. What about him?"  
  
"He was evidently one of only two Terran men to not die before Jesus Christ's coming. And both men were somehow translated to the Celestial City, which Terrans often call Heaven or Paradise, where they've likely been ever since. Besides him, the only other Terran man not to die was evidently the prophet Elijah from Israel, I believe. I don't know if any other people have been translated to the Celestial City without dying since Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven about 950 or so years ago, though. That's if my math about such a time is accurate enough here, of course. It could have actually happened since then, Serena. But I really don't think that it actually has happened at all since then, in fact."  
  
"And Jesus actually died for all of us, even though He really didn't have to?"  
  
"Yes, Serena. He didn't have to die. He could have gone back up to Heaven without dying,  
in fact. But He still chose to die, so that everyone who'd accept Him as their Lord and Saviour would eventually be able to spend all of Eternity with Him in Heaven, if His Father saw fit to let them do so. Now I don't really think I'll be able to go to the Celestial City without dying, Serena. But if not, then I hope that I'll eventually end up there someday, if it is His Father's will to let me do so eventually."  
  
Just then, other Princesses and Artemis began filing into the Hall of Memories. And before anyone else besides Serena and Luna could see them do so, Queen Serenity and Daniel kissed and hugged each other only once more apiece, before they then let each other go, They did so even while also stepping back from each other before they were spotted by anyone else who was now entering the Hall of Memories. Serena then rather quickly rose from where she'd just been sitting, as well. And she brought her things to the middle of the Hall of Memories, if she'd not already done so, as ten other Princesses and one certain mostly white cat showed up in the area of the Hall of Memories that she, her parents, and Luna were already in there. Which was, as a matter of fact, the middle of that Hall of Memories.  
  
Queen Serenity soon had everyone else put their things on certain tiles in the middle of that Hall of Memories, as Serena was now just doing with her things. After she saw all the girls who were now with her do so, she then at least briefly checked each of their sacks of things, for all of the obvious reasons. She checked all their things, of course. And she only rejected a few items from all the things that she'd just checked out, for various reasons, in each of their lives. She'd have Prince Daniel and others bring back all the rejected things to each of the necessary chambers elsewhere in the Imperial Palace later, of course, whenever possible.  
  
She rejected all the two-piece swimsuits that any of the girls had tried to sneak past her. For she thought that they'd all be too revealing for the girls in question, if they were worn, on their current adventure, around strangers wherever they were elsewhere in God's own Universe, if not for any other reasons as well. The four girls that'd just tried to sneak bikinis past her had been Raye, Mina, Alexis, and Michelle. And she'd likely discuss such things with them sometime soon, if she ever got the chance during their next adventure elsewhere in God's own Universe, of course, if at all possible. Nobody else tried to slip a bikini kind of swimsuit past her, though. Not even Serena, who'd also thought about doing so for a while before she'd chosen not to do so.  
  
Amy's science-related scrolls soon met a pile of rejected items. For the Moon Kingdom was rather technologically much more advanced, most likely, than the nation that they'd most likely be finding themselves in very shortly, if things went sufficiently according to plan for them all, of course. Some of her other things also soon ended up in a pile of her rejected things, for reasons likely too numerous to mention currently.  
  
Several of Raye's scrolls met up with a pile of her items that Queen Serenity wouldn't let Raye bring with her on their next adventure. For they were often filled with things that Queen Serenity didn't want anyone who they might meet up with, while they were on their next adventure, know yet about them, if at all possible, for the obvious reasons. Raye didn't like it very much at all, in fact. But when Queen Serenity gave her a certain strong look, she immediately shut up, of course. For she really didn't want to invite any trouble from Queen Serenity, if she could possibly avoid it, at least while they were on their next adventure anywhere in God's very own Universe.  
  
After checking Raye's things, Queen Serenity moved to Serena's things, and began checking them as well. She set a few items aside. For she'd rejected them, for various reasons too numerous to mention as well. She put them in another pile of rejected items, of course. Eventually, she then cleared what was still left of Serena's things for the trip in question. And she set them all down on the tile in the Hall of Memories that she, Serena, Luna, and Artemis would all be leaving it from, of course.  
  
With that then done, she did the same with each of the other Princesses' things, of course, just as she'd already done with Raye, Amy, and Serena's things just a little while before. Eventually, she'd cleared most of the things that the girls had brought with them to the Hall of Memories. And the rest, she'd have Daniel and other servants of theirs attend to later, of course. And when she was satisfied that she'd cleared enough things for the trip, she then said, "All right, everyone, get on your proper tiles now," as she got on one with Serena, Luna, and Artemis as well.  
  
After all the Princesses and both cats were wherever they each had to be around her, she then said, "Girls, prepare to depart here momentarily. We'll be getting a free trip to our next adventure's location, courtesy of God, as a matter of fact. And you all don't need to transform into your respective Sailor Scout states this time, at least, for He'll transport you there without any of you having to do that at all."  
  
A moment later, she got several acknowledging nods from her cats and all the girls now with her in the Hall of Memories. And after she did so, she then quickly said, "Daniel, I love you. And I want you and Raph to hold down the fort here on the Moon, if at all possible, as well as you can, while we're all away from here."  
  
"Will do, and I'm sure that your brother will do the same, of course."  
  
Then Queen Serenity said, "God, we're all ready to leave here now," once she was sure that everyone who'd be going with her on their next trip to somewhere else in His Universe was indeed as ready as they'd most likely ever be to do just that. Seconds later, and about ten minutes after local midnight, which'd mean that the current date was now January 30, 987, Queen Serenity, her cats, and all eleven of the Princesses began vanishing from the Hall of Memories for another location elsewhere in God's very own Universe. As did all the things that Queen Serenity had cleared for them all to bring on their trip to that same location, of course. Minutes later, they were already on their way to wherever that location might be in the Universe, which, as a matter of fact, happened to be somewhere in the Cuzco, Peru, local area on Earth.  
  
A Rather Hostile Takeover will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same,  
readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course,  
readers! Over and out! 


	6. Chapter Six

In the last chapter of this story, Queen Serenity and several other Scouts were divinely transported to Earth, after they had prepared for their next adventure as Scouts there. Serena was among them, in fact. As were Queen Serenity's cats Luna and Artemis. God would be putting them on Earth for a time to be with several young Terran Princesses from a land that would later be known as Peru in the future.

In the next chapter of this fourth story, Moon Princess Serena and several other sentient beings will most certainly meet up with each other in short enough order. And they all will meet up with each other in a particular garden of a Peruvian Empire palace's grounds. They then will be meeting with each other there for a time, before they all part a while later. That's so that they'll then be able to do whatever eventually comes to each of their minds, most likely, as well. And from then on, their periodical mutual association with each other will begin to develop in each of their respective lives. This will be for reasons that might or might not yet be obvious to them all in their lives, in fact.

Now, without further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. For there are still plenty more chapters to put up for this particular story here. And I'd really prefer to put them all up in their proper order, just as soon as I possibly can, in fact. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any or all of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories, for the obvious reasons, people. Remember, standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever the need arises. However, I still would hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here, for I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you all will continue to read and enjoy it, for it's obvious that you all haven't recently reviewed any of my fan fiction work here on , readers! It would be real nice to get some clean, courteous, and constructive reviews, though, just the same, people. Now to the story!

_A Rather Hostile Takeover_

A _The Chrysanthemum Chronicles_ Series Story

Rainbow Garden In The Imperial Palace

Cuzco, Peru, Earth

January 29, 987 - January 30, 987

Meanwhile, as Serena and her current crowd were being brought to somewhere else in the Universe, specifically to Earth, it was now about 7:15 pm in the evening of January 29, 987, for several young Terran Princesses from the nation that Serena and her crowd were all being brought to now in the Universe. Of course, their nation was on Earth, because they'd never actually left Earth in a physical sense before. Though that might not always remain the case, if they ever got the chance somehow to be elsewhere in the Universe at least once. Whether or not they ever wanted to be off it at all in any or all four of their own lives.

At the current time, Princesses Mara, Ginkya, Yazmis, and Zardiz were all basically enjoying themselves just as much as they then could in the Rainbow Garden. While they were still remaining rather alert, just in case anyone would come their way somehow while they were there, of course. They were often talking to each other as they enjoyed themselves. And they all remained rather alert, in the Rainbow Garden on the Imperial Palace's grounds in Cuzco. They all were currently still in their respective Monitor uniforms, of course, as they all did those things in that particular garden.

Suddenly, they heard a moderately loud hum near them in the sky above the garden. And a hole seemed to open up in the sky above it. Mara was the first of the Princesses to see it, in fact. And she soon motioned to her fellow Monitors to head for that location as quickly as they could do so safely enough, if they weren't currently walking right next to her in that garden. The hole was about twenty feet or so in average diameter. And it was mostly red with a black ring surrounding its entire area. As it hung in the sky about twenty or so feet above the tallest plants and trees in the garden, Mara and her fellow Monitors moved to that location as quickly and as safely as they could, for various reasons too numerous to mention. By the time they got about ten feet away from the transportation zone now being formed between the hole in the sky and the ground below, several people and two cats soon began falling out of that hole. Starting with Queen Serenity, behind some shields that God was now using to hide Queen Serenity and all her present companions from current view in the garden in question at that time. Five feet closer to it, Mara and her fellow Monitors were forced to stop approaching the zone in question, for their own safeties, while that zone was still in use. As they realized they'd not be able to get closer while Queen Serenity and her companions were all being brought down to Earth by God, they then stopped approaching it immediately. And they all sat on four nearby benches, with one bench being for each of them here, as well. And they waited for that transfer zone to become inactive, of course.

As they did so, Queen Serenity and her companions soon engaged some parachutes that they'd brought with them, after Queen Serenity had provided them for her cats, her Princesses, and herself, just before leaving the Moon with them all, courtesy of God, of course. All of them engaged those parachutes by the time they got within about five feet of the nearest tree and plant tops in the garden. They landed in an open area of the garden in question near a fountain about five minutes after the last of them had engaged their parachute easily enough. Queen Serenity was the first to land, followed by Serena, Destiny, Bethany, Hannah, Susan, Lita, Mina, Raye, Alexis, Michelle, Artemis, Luna, and Amy, in that particular order. Amy had been the last of them to land because she'd been caught up by a sudden updraft. And she'd also decided to circle the landing zone at least once as best as she could, for reasons that were likely too numerous to mention at the current time. Eventually all the Moon Kingdom royals had landed safely enough in the landing zone, as had Luna and Artemis, of course. And after they all realized this, they soon began taking off their parachutes, for the obvious reasons. After they were all sufficiently free of them, and after they'd all adjusted to being on a world again, God soon shut off the shields that He'd used to hide the Moon Kingdom people and both cats from view for a while, while He'd been bringing them down to Earth as He'd planned to do some length of time earlier.

It took all those people and both cats a few moments to adjust themselves to being in a new setting in their lives, of course. And when they did so, they soon spotted Princesses Mara, Ginkya, Yazmis, and Zardiz sitting on benches near them in the garden that they were now in on Earth. The first of the Moon Kingdom people to speak was Serena, and she said, "Hello, girls. I hope you've all been rather well since our only previous discussion with each other in my chambers."

"Hello, Serena. It's nice to finally meet you in actual physical reality, Serena." Mara rose from her bench, and went to shake Serena's hand, in a manner of friendship. "I trust that all these people and cats are your companions."

"Yes, Mara. They are, as a matter of fact."

"I don't see Darien here, nor do I see Rolando or Sylvia, Serena."

"I hope we'll see them soon enough, but I don't hold out much hope for it right now, Mara."

"Would you care to introduce us to all your companions now?"

So Serena did so, and when she introduced Raye to them, Mara said, "Hello, Raye. I hope that you get to sing quite a bit in the future. I'll tell you later exactly how I know that you're actually a singer, and a composer, too, if I get a chance, but not right now. For it's not exactly the proper time of day here for a whole lot of private chatting with anyone. It's about 7:30 pm or so now, in fact. And we don't often spend a lot of time having private chats with most people after about 6:45 pm or so around here."

Then Serena eventually finished introducing all her current companions to the four Peruvian Empire Princesses that they'd all just met. After which, Mara soon said, "I suppose you'll all want to rest for a while, at least, before we talk to each other more later."

Queen Serenity said, "I think that's a very good idea, Princess Mara. I suppose you have chambers which we can use at least until then."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we do. But, for your own safeties, at least for a while, we'll have to put you in ones that are considerably distant from others here in this palace of ours, of course. I hope that you can understand why. And you people can all call me and the rest of us by our respective first names, whenever possible, as a matter of fact, Queen Serenity."

"Sure thing, Mara. You really don't want to invite unneeded trouble from those who might not really like you all that much here in Peru, if I'm not mistaken."

"Correct, Queen Serenity. Can we call you all by your first names, as well, Queen Serenity?"

"I suppose you probably could all do so here, whenever possible, Mara. But that's only if my companions don't mind you doing so, of course."

"And if you're in your Sailor Scout states of being?"

"Please call us by our proper Sailor Scout names, whenever possible, Mara. This is so that if we're all indeed going to be fighting the Negaverse while we're all still with you, they don't easily, if ever, learn the names that we'd normally use in our non-Sailor Scout states."

"Agreed," said Mara.

"What's a Monitor, by the way, Mara?" This was a question from Amy.

"A Monitor's usually a female warrior in our nation, if not always. Your female warriors are normally Sailor Scouts, are they not, Amy?"

"I believe many of our female warriors are Sailor Scouts, but not all of them. Maybe not even half of them are Sailor Scouts. I don't know the exact percentage, right off the top of my head. But I think that at least four or so percent of our female warriors are Sailor Scouts in our Moon Kingdom, if not more."

Amy then looked at Queen Serenity for confirmation here. And Queen Serenity soon nodded at her, to confirm Amy's current thoughts about such things in the Moon Kingdom. Amy then asked, "Mara, do you think that you could all bring us to the chambers you spoke of just now? For if I'm not mistaken, several of my companions are at least a little tired, from what I can tell about them right now. Including Serena, I think."

Mara and her fellow Peruvian Princesses saw this was indeed true of at least a few, if not all, of Amy's current companions. So Mara then asked, a few seconds later, "Sure, I think that we can do that now. Is it all right if at least one of us picks up some of your things right now?"

Queen Serenity and her current companions looked at each other for a few seconds, at least. And then Queen Serenity answered Mara's question, "I think we can handle our own things, at least for the most part. But if you want to handle the cats' things, I think that we can let you do that."

"Very well. And for the cats' things, whose room should they be put in, Queen Serenity?"

"My chambers here in your Imperial Palace, if that's not a problem for any or all of you girls."

"As you wish. And the other things?"

"We'll handle them ourselves, if you just show us to the necessary chambers, Mara."

"Would any or all of your young girls mind sharing chambers with each other, Queen Serenity?"

"Why, Mara?"

"Because many of the chambers here in this palace of ours have been in the process of being renovated, or aren't available at the moment, for various reasons that are likely too numerous to mention at the current time here. And because such things are true currently, we may have to put pairs of girls together, at least, if not trios or quartets."

After she considered that possibility for a few moments, Queen Serenity then said, "What do you say, girls?"

"Fine with me, if I get to be with the twins," said Serena.

"Fair enough for me, Serena. Let it be as you've just said, then, Serena. Amy and Raye, would you mind sharing chambers with each other?" asked Queen Serenity.

"Fire and Ice, together?" asked Raye.

"Actually, don't you mean 'Fire' and 'Water' together, Raye?" asked Amy. "That's what our names might mean elsewhere on Earth, I think."

"Whatever, Amy. Are you sure that'd really be wise?"

"It'll be fine with me, if it keeps you and Serena from arguing with each other so much while we're here."

Mara said, "The famous Serena-Raye rivalry, if I'm not mistaken."

"My, we're just full of surprises today, aren't we, Mara?" asked Raye.

"If you say so, Raye. If you say so. I'll let you all know exactly how we know about it later, if I get a chance to do so too then."

"I suppose so, Mara," said Amy, moments later.

"Yes, I suppose you're right too, Amy. No sense in Raye and Serena fighting each other too soon, if it can possibly be avoided before the Negaverse people get here to try to act against us, if they actually do so, I think."

"Fine, I'll share chambers with Amy. I was hoping for one of the twins or Queen Serenity, though. That was if I had to share chambers with anyone else here. But I'll share them with Amy, I guess, if I really have to," said Raye.

"All right. That leaves Lita, Mina, Hannah, Alexis, Michelle, and Susan in the process of assigning you all to chambers in the palace here. Who'll volunteer as well to share chambers with someone else?"

Lita said, "Mina often shares chambers with me whenever the need arises. I'd not mind doing the same here, if the need arises again for us both while we're with you here in Peru."

Mina said, "And keep the light on at night so much while you're reading your romances? I hope not, Lita."

"Mina, Queen Serenity didn't let me bring them with me on this adventure of ours."

"Really?" asked Mina, quite surprised now, as a matter of fact, as was now quite evident on her face. Mina's face was now showing a look of great surprise, for she'd really not expected that from Queen Serenity here. At least not as it pertained to Lita at the current time, anyway.

Queen Serenity said, "Yes, Mina. I actually made her leave them back where we came from."

"You say Lita likes romances?" asked Ginkya.

Mina answered, a few seconds later, with just a little bit of twinkling now becoming rather apparent in her eyes, "As a matter of fact, she does, Ginkya."

"Mara occasionally has written stories and poems in her life, and I rather strongly believe that at least one of those stories and/or poems is of a sufficiently romantic nature, at least in the writing of the same thing or things that I'm just telling you about here now."

"I see. Mara?"

"Yes, Lita?"

"Have you actually written such stuff before?"

"At least once?"

"Of course."

"Yes, I have, Lita. But I've never completed anything yet like that which is longer than about ten scrolls or so in length. I'm in the eighth scroll of my writing of the sixth story in the Legendary Chronicles of Monitor Zatherisa right now, and most of the stories in that series of stories are usually about four to six scrolls in length."

"And is this series mainly a series of romances?"

"It's got at least some romantic elements, in fact. But it's not entirely consisted of them, Lita. That's because Monitor Zatherisa doesn't often get to have much of a social life, due to her being a Monitor in that story series. Can you understand why that might be the case?"

"I think so, Mara."

"I don't suppose that being a Junior Sailor Scout is often easy on your social lives either, girls?"

Lita answered, "No, it often isn't easy on them, of course."

"Mina, will you share chambers with Lita, then, while you're here?"

"If she promises to try to be considerate to me whenever I want to get to sleep, I think I can do that, Mara."

"Lita, do you promise to try to do that?"

"I suppose I can, Mara. But knowing me, that might not be possible for me to do all the time, I think."

Mina considered that here for a few brief moments, and then she said, "All right, I'll accept that, for I think I know you quite well so far in our lives. But if you don't try to do as you've just said that you'll try to do, whenever possible, don't be all that surprised if I get upset at you while we're here, Lita."

"Understood, Mina."

"All right, I'll pair up with her, if I have to, and I'll share chambers with her here in your Imperial Palace, for as long as necessary."

"As you wish. Anyone else?"

Alexis said, "I'll share with Michelle, if she'd not mind doing so with me."

"Michelle?"

"If Susan will agree to do the same as well, I'll then share chambers with Alexis, at least while we're here, and if the need arises."

"I suppose that's acceptable. Somebody will need to make sure that you two don't raise a ruckus with your running around here, like you often do, whenever possible, back where we come from. But if I do that with you, what about Hannah? Where'll she have to sleep, then, if we'll all have to share chambers with each other, while we're all here in this Imperial Palace of theirs?"

"I suppose that she could share chambers with someone else, Susan," said Alexis.

"Like who, Alexis?"

"Queen Serenity, perhaps?"

"Hannah? What do you say?"

"Fine, I'll share with Queen Serenity, if the others don't want to share with me."

"It's not that, Hannah. It's just that we'd rather be together as often as possible while we're here."

"You're afraid of me, Alexis."

"How can that be?"

"You often don't like being with me back where we come from. You, Michelle, and Susan, at least, seem to be afraid of me. Like I might know something that would most likely scare the living daylights out of you all, maybe, I think."

Queen Serenity suddenly said, "Enough, girls. We'll discuss this at some length later. Hannah, I'll share chambers with you, if that's all right with you now."

"As you wish, Queen Serenity. At least someone apparently wants to actually be with me while we're still here in Peru, it seems."

"Okay, Hannah. You can share chambers with me, then, while we're here. Is that all right with you, Mara?"

"If that's how you want it, Queen Serenity, so be it. What about Susan, Alexis, and Michelle, then?"

"Let them share chambers with each other, if they want or need to, then. But I'll still have to talk to them later, if at all possible, while we're all here in Peru with you all."

"As you wish. We'll put those three girls of yours in the same chambers, and see how long it takes for them to start arguing with each other, if they'll ever do so while you're all here with us in Peru."

Alexis was about to say that she'd likely not argue with Michelle and Susan during their current adventure, but Queen Serenity stopped her from doing so with a certain look. Specifically the one that didn't leave any doubt that Queen Serenity wouldn't be happy with Alexis if she did so with their hosts, at least not at the current time. And which was also the one that let Alexis know in no uncertain terms that Queen Serenity would brook no disagreement from her with either Queen Serenity or their hosts, without Alexis risking trouble of some kind from Queen Serenity at any time during their current adventure in Peru.

Hearing no further comments from anyone else, Mara then said, "It shall then be as you all have said, at least in terms of who you'll be sharing chambers with here, for at least as long as the need arises for you all to do so. These chambers may not be as luxurious as the ones you have back in the Moon Kingdom might be. But for us, they're still often quite luxurious, at least, compared to what other people of our nation normally live their lives in when they're not otherwise occupied during them."

Mara and her three fellow Peruvian Princesses soon escorted their guests to various chambers elsewhere on the grounds of the Imperial Palace of Cuzco, Peru, on Earth. And after they did so, they soon returned to the Rainbow Garden to see if anyone else at all would also show up there later on as well. Like maybe Sylvia, for instance.

They then waited in it, even past local midnight, so that if anyone else showed up there in that Imperial Palace garden, they'd be able to meet up with them shortly after that person or those persons did so at all. Even Sylvia, for example, of course.

Speaking of Sylvia, she began showing up there, in the exact same manner that Serena and her current crowd had earlier shown up there, shortly after 4 am local time, in fact. And she did so in the same exact general area of the garden that Queen Serenity, and others who'd been with her earlier, had actually landed in it. Maybe not in the exact same location, of course. But in the same exact area, of it, just the same, Sylvia showed up there just after 4 am local time.

About half an hour or so later, then, at most, she was also escorted to some chambers elsewhere in the Imperial Palace. As a matter of fact, she also ended up in the very same chambers that Serena and her twin sisters were now assigned to in it. Which, quite naturally, soon made Serena, Destiny, and Bethany quite happy, of course.

When she did, Destiny suddenly said to both of her sisters, "I now smell traces of at least one Belinda Cromeke rose's smell on someone else. And they're not actually from the Moon." She said this here, just because Serena and Bethany hadn't yet seen or smelled Sylvia when she entered the three Moon girls' chambers.

Serena and Bethany soon turned around, or they woke up, as the case might be for either or both of them. And they soon said, "Destiny, you're right. But how do you know?" They still hadn't seen Sylvia in them, however, so that was why they asked Destiny that question just then.

"I slightly smell the smells of some mint tea and at least one horse, if not more than one horse, as well, you two."

"It can't be her, can it?" asked Serena.

"Who else do you know in our crowd that normally likes riding horses as much as she does, Serena, besides a certain guy or two in them, if not more, maybe? Or who might occasionally, at least, have green mint tea in her free time, as a matter of fact?" Bethany then saw Sylvia well enough here, and vice versa. And Bethany then agreed to keep Serena from turning around in the chambers for as long as she could while Sylvia came closer to her and her sisters in them for a while, after Sylvia gave her a questioning look as if to suggest that line of questioning from her to Bethany.

"Not many people, I think, Destiny," said Serena.

"So who might that leave, then, Serena?"

"Sylvia and a few other people, at most."

"And who likes to paint, garden, and make quilts, often?" asked Sylvia, who was now close enough to hear the conversation currently in question in the chambers the four of them were now in together. She asked this through Bethany, who silently translated for Destiny, in the necessary manners, for the obvious reasons, mainly so that Serena wouldn't hopefully guess who was now in their chambers too soon, of course. By now, Bethany and Sylvia had already exchanged at least one rather brief glance with each other. But still without them both tipping Serena off that Sylvia was now in their chambers, while Destiny often spoke the words that Bethany and Sylvia were saying to each other, if she thought that Serena wasn't currently able to see the girls do that at all well enough.

"That'd likely eliminate Estella and Tracy, at least," said Destiny.

"And who has auburn hair and blue eyes?" This was again from Sylvia, of course.

"Goodbye, Beatrice, Bridget, and Winnie," commented Bethany, through Destiny, via some more silent touching of hands, at least.

"And a brother named Ulysses?" queried Sylvia, rather silently.

"Goodbye, everyone else in our crowd except one other person," said Destiny, rather directly.

By now, Sylvia was right behind Serena. And she then said, in sign language to Bethany, who then told Destiny what Sylvia had just said to Bethany, "A certain Scot would know who I am by now, I think. Even if he actually didn't see me by then."

Serena asked, "I wasn't expecting for her to be here anytime soon. She can't be here now, can she?"

Finally Bethany and Destiny could remain silent, or calm, enough no longer. And Destiny soon said, "Turn around, Serena, and see if your eyes do actually deceive you now. I can't actually see her right now, of course. But I know she's there, just the same."

So Serena turned around completely. And several seconds later, she then registered sufficiently well that Sylvia was indeed with them all now in their chambers. She still was quite surprised, of course, to find that out. Even after she'd considered the chance that she and the other Princesses of the Moon Kingdom might meet her on their next Sailor Scout adventure in God's very own Universe. She said, "Sylvia, it's so nice to see you again so soon after we last saw each other. But I don't see the boys with you this time, for some reason."

"I know that, Serena. We may meet up with them later. Or we could miss them for most, if not all, of what now appears to be our next adventure as Sailor Scouts. I just don't know, or at least not yet, that is, if we'll be able to see them any time in the very near future."

"Do you think we'll see them before we leave here again, Sylvia?"

"It's possible, I suppose. For if I'm actually here with you now, don't you think that it might even be possible for us to do that somehow, Serena?"

"I suppose you're right, Sylvia. I do wonder why the boys didn't show up here with you, though. They came with you the last time you visited us on the Moon, if I'm not mistaken."

"And the time before that, if you count that as well."

Destiny then said, "Sylvia, Serena's been wishing quite a bit that she was able to see Darien of late, of course."

"Would she be Serena, most likely, if she weren't, whenever he's not near her at any time in her life?"

"Probably not, Sylvia," said Destiny. "She's really got a thing for Darien, as you should already know by now."

"And has she been seeing Rini quite a bit in her dreams since I'd last left you a few weeks ago on the Moon?"

Bethany answered this, and said, "It really seems so, Sylvia. Of course, Darien's often in such dreams of Serena's, when Rini's in them."

"I see. Serena, do you have anything you want to say about such things right now?"

"I'm worried that I'll never get to marry Darien and have Rini someday in the future."

"Oh?" asked Sylvia.

"What if something goes wrong, and something happens to us that would make such a potential future never actually come to pass for us at least once, if not more?"

"Like?" asked Sylvia.

"What if something happens between the end of the Moon Kingdom and our emergences or births in the 20th Century? And we never actually do get to be together with each other in the future as I'd most likely want us to be at least once in it? What if I survive and he doesn't? What would that mean for Rini, quite possibly?"

"Could it mean that she never exists in the future?"

"I think so, Sylvia. She's a very important part of any futures that I've seen in which I might eventually wind up with Darien, I believe. If something happens either to me or to Darien, it could very well be the case that she'll never exist any particular time or place anywhere here in God's very own Universe."

"And you want to be a mother someday, if at all possible, Serena?" asked Bethany.

"Yes. I don't know yet if I could be as good a mother as Mom is to us. But I still do hope that I could be eventually, if not right away, of course."

"And if she has a similar hairstyle to you?"

"Then so be it, Bethany. But I don't really know exactly how come she might eventually have pink hair, instead of some other color of hair, at least not yet. I don't know any pink-haired people in our family, I believe, at the current time, and I don't think I ever have, girls."

"Hasn't Mom ever told us at least once of Grandma Margaret, Serena?"

"What about her, Bethany?"

"Didn't she say that her mother was a pink-haired girl from a very young age, before she became a Scout?"

"Come to think of it, I do now remember Mom saying something about that a few years ago."

"And when she became a Scout, her hair eventually started to change color from the kind of pink that you're seeming to think that Rini might have to somewhere between the colors of purple and blonde, with some streaks of pink still remaining in her hair for the rest of her life. Mom told us a few years ago then, if I'm not mistaken, that when she herself was growing up in our Moon Kingdom, her mother's hair was mostly purple. With some blonde and some pink in it, up until just a few years before Grandma Margaret fell asleep when her ship exploded suddenly," commented Destiny, just then, when Bethany told her that she could say something to Serena, of course.

"So you're saying that if Darien and I might have Rini in the future, she might inherit it from her great-grandmother's part of the family. Which, of course, would be on Mother's and my side of the family, Destiny?"

"I believe that's what I'm saying."

"Destiny, do you think that'll mean that Rini will also inherit the powers of Sailor Peppermint, Mom, and me, as a Sailor Scout, eventually?"

"I don't know, Serena. She could, or she could not. Only time will tell if that's ever the case for her, if and when she ever exists anywhere here in God's very own Universe. I hope, though, that if you do actually have her, I'll eventually be able to see her as well, of course. And I'm reasonably sure that Bethany would love to do the same if she got the chance to do so in her life."

Then the four girls spent at least the next few minutes chatting with each other, and catching up with each other as best as they could while doing so, before all of them eventually went to sleep in their new chambers on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Cuzco, Peru. They all stayed asleep at least until about 10:30 am local time. And they all only woke up after Raye and a number of other girls came into them to try to wake up the girls in them that they'd already come to Peru with not long before.

_A Rather Hostile Takeover_ will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same, readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!


	7. Chapter Seven

In the last chapter of this story, Serena and several members of her crowd finally met up with four young Monitors from the Peruvian Empire, once they'd all come to Earth rather suddenly by some divine means. Those very divine means had been certain means that had just been provided by the One True God of the Universe, in fact. And after they did so, they began to get to know those Monitors in a garden on a Peruvian palace's grounds, to at least some degree, if not totally, as well.

In this particular chapter for the story, though, Serena and Raye will actually have a rather heated argument of some sort with each other. Just what they'll do or say during it will remain unrevealed before I get into this next chapter here, though. But I will say that this argument will make it even more difficult for the Scouts for at least a little while, if not for a long while, just the same, in fact, readers. How so, you'll all just have to read on to find out, for all the obvious reasons, of course.

Now, without further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. For there are still plenty more chapters to put up for this particular story here. And I'd really prefer to put them all up in their proper order, just as soon as I possibly can, in fact. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any or all of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories, for the obvious reasons, people. Remember, standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever the need arises. However, I still would hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here, for I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you all will continue to read and enjoy it, for it's obvious that you all haven't recently reviewed any of my fan fiction work here on , readers! It would be real nice to get some clean, courteous, and constructive reviews, though, just the same, people. Now to the story!

_A Rather Hostile Takeover_

A _The Chrysanthemum Chronicles_ Series Story

Inside Serenity's Chambers In The Imperial Palace

Cuzco, Peru, Earth

January 30, 987

About 10:30 am local time, then, Raye eventually bounced into Serena's bed. And soon Serena was shaken awake by Raye. Destiny was woken up by Amy, when Amy tickled her feet with a feather from a seagull that Amy had found on a windowsill just outside her chambers. Lita and Mina woke up Bethany when they brought some new cookies near her bedside. Bethany's nose soon smelled those cookies. And she was awake not more than a few seconds or so later. As for Sylvia, she woke up when Hannah accidentally bumped into the couch that she'd been sleeping on just then. Hannah bumped into it when she tried dodging a few pillows Serena was trying to either throw at Raye, or bop Raye with, after Raye woke Serena up. Sylvia soon heard Serena and Raye get into another one of their crazy arguments, if they'd not already done so after Raye shook Serena awake in her bed.

Serena said, "Raye, you didn't have to shake me awake. I would've gotten up eventually."

"When, Serena, three weeks from now, or never?"

"Today, Raye. I was hoping to stay asleep for at least another hour or two, today, before we get adjusted well enough to being here for a while. But, as a famous Martian hothead often does, she woke me up before I could finish getting my sleep. We wouldn't, by any chance, possibly know who she might be, would we, Raye?"

"Serena, you'd sleep forever if you could, I think."

"And let you win Darien easily, Raye, while I do so? I don't think so, Raye. At least I hope I'm not that dumb, when he IS my honey."

"Well, if I'm a famous Martian hothead, then you're certainly a famous Meatball Head from the Moon, Serena."

Just then, Sylvia got off the couch. And she went to where Raye and Serena were now verbally going at it, at least, after getting Lita to go there with her as well. Sylvia then took a rather strong hold on Raye, and she slung her over her left shoulder, while Lita did the same with Serena. Of course, both Raye and Serena were quite surprised when Sylvia and Lita did so. And then Sylvia and Lita carried their fellow Princesses out of their chambers on their shoulders. Of course, Destiny and all the others followed along here. And soon everyone was in Queen Serenity's chambers, including, of course, Sylvia and Lita.

While Sylvia and Lita carried them both to Queen Serenity's chambers, Raye and Serena kept yapping at each other, as if they didn't know when to stop doing so. They often tried to pull each other's hair, as they were being brought to Queen Serenity's chambers. They both wanted Sylvia and Lita to let them down, so that they could finish their current argument without any significant enough interference from anyone else. But Sylvia and Lita didn't do so. Or at least not until they got to Queen Serenity's chambers, if not even longer than that here, of course.

Sylvia and most, if not all, of the other Princesses with her now soon told Queen Serenity what all the fuss was about at the current time between Serena and Raye. And Queen Serenity soon said, "I think I need to have you girls train with each other for a while. I'll have to dampen your powers, Serena and Raye, at least for the time being, I think, so that you both don't kill or don't seriously hurt each other when you continue to train together. I think it's been too long since we last tangled with people from the Negaverse. So you girls might be getting rather bored right now with things as they are for us. I've also learned that certain Negaversers are going to be coming to somewhere on Earth. Though I don't know exactly when and where, and if we're possibly going to have to oppose them again in the very near future, before we can somehow return to the Moon for at least a little while, girls. Serena and Raye, why can't you girls ever get along with each other most, if not all, the time? Why do you two have to fight and argue so much in your lives?"

"I don't know, Mother. It seems to me that Raye loves to fight whenever she possibly can do so. Or at least most of the time, it seems that way, when it comes to her."

"Raye, what do you say to that? And keep your response civil enough to me, or there'll be the inevitable consequences if you don't do so."

Raye thought about her answer for a few moments here, and she then said, "With all due respect, Queen Serenity, I admit that I do fight a lot. But I think that Serena may often deliberately provoke me to do so, when I'm near her. Your daughter Serena's often a rather fiery girl, it seems to me. It's like she's so scared of being alone, just like Hannah's apparently seemed to be to many of the people I know from elsewhere in the Moon Kingdom, that she fights with those who she may care the most for in her life. I don't understand why, in fact, of course. But she really seems to often be scared of being alone, as Hannah seemed to be last night, after we got here."

Serena was about to deny that here. But she didn't actually say a word yet, when Queen Serenity gave her a certain look, and said, "Serena, Raye's talking to me now. You'll have your chance to speak as well. But I'm listening to her right now. So your comments will have to wait until I say you can share them with me and anyone else here in this room."

Then Raye eventually said, "Sometimes I wonder if she hates me. For we often don't get along with each other, especially when Darien comes up in our conversations. I'd not be all that surprised if, right now, she wishes I was back on Mars for a while. I wonder if she'd even miss me at all if I went back to Mars as soon as I could get back there easily enough, for at least a little while. I really do hate to say this here, believe me or not, Queen Serenity. But sometimes, she acts almost like a baby, if not entirely. It's like she wants everything her way right now, at such times in her own life. And if she doesn't get it, at such times in it, then she'll throw fits and otherwise misbehave, while also hoping that by doing so, she'll get whatever she wants in her life at such times in it."

Queen Serenity then said, moments later, after considering all those things that Raye had just said, "Raye, I don't think that Serena really hates you as much as you seem to think. Sure, I know that you two often have really heated arguments. But I think that she'd really miss you if you were back on Mars, Phobos, or Deimos for a long enough time. Just as she often really misses Darien whenever he's not on the Moon with us at all. And I believe that she still considers you the older sister that she'll never have with me and her father. I know that both of you aren't actually biological sisters to each other. But I do know that she's considered you to be the older sister that she'll never have with me and Prince Daniel as her parents in her life. From your own experience as the first daughter of your parents, you should be able to understand what it's like to be the first daughter of your parents. And if so, you should theoretically be able to understand at least a little bit what it might be like for Serena to be the first daughter of me and her father, Raye. Or at least I think so, for the obvious reasons, Raye."

"Maybe so, Queen Serenity. But she can really get me mad at her sometimes. I don't necessarily like fighting with her, of course, but I still often end up doing so."

"Raye, I know that you likely come from a world where people at least sometimes have somewhat shorter tempers than the average Moon Kingdom citizen might. But I don't think that you should use that as an excuse to just lay into Serena, so much of the time. I realize, of course, that there may actually be certain times when you have to argue with Serena in the future. But you're still going to have to be together with each other for quite a bit longer in each of your lives, I think. Even if you may not always want to be, you'll still have to be, with each other quite a bit in your lives, I believe. So you might as well get used to it as best as you all can in each of your lives."

"And let her have Darien once and for all, most likely, if we even fight about who gets him eventually in our lives?"

"Even if you ever have to do that someday, Raye. Raye, I can't have you two girls fighting each other all the time about almost everything, if not everything, in your lives. Especially since you're all eventually going to have to work together, most likely, if you ever want to keep from getting killed by our enemy once and for all anywhere in the Moon Kingdom, if and when they ever come to it."

"But I don't like a lot of the things that she does in her life, Queen Serenity," said Raye.

"So what? I'm sure that each of us could say things that we don't like about one another for hours, if not days, weeks, months, or years, on end, Raye. But what good would it do against any or all of the Negaversers who'll eventually come to our Moon Kingdom, if enough people's dreams and/or visions about any possible futures in which they might do such a thing are sufficiently accurate, for us to do that so much in each of our lives? Would it make our attempts to defend our Moon Kingdom at least a bit more successful, if we did so, most likely, Raye?"

"I don't know, Queen Serenity."

"I doubt that, Raye, very much. You see, if we show any weakness at all, I think that our enemy will try to take advantage of that weakness, if they possibly can do so. If we're fighting so often with each other, then how are we really going to be able to protect our Moon Kingdom and its people well enough against them? Raye, you can't always be fighting with other people in our Moon Kingdom. Or it may be hard for me to save as many of our people as I possibly can. If they come, I really do want to save as many of our people as I can possibly save. Even if it actually means my death and the end of the Moon Kingdom. Including you, of course, if at all possible, Raye."

"But I wish we didn't have to worry about the Negaverse."

"I'm sure that a lot of us also feel the same way back in the Moon Kingdom, Raye. But I believe that they'll be coming to our Moon Kingdom. And that they'll wreak as much havoc in it as they can before they're somehow stopped. Even if I have to sacrifice myself and our Moon Kingdom to do just that somehow in my life."

"Am I going to get punished, Queen Serenity, for acting like I just did with Serena?"

"Of course, Raye. After I hear what Serena has to say, I'll let you know how you're both going to get punished for at least a little while," said Queen Serenity. "Now it's time for Serena to speak. I don't want to hear a word from you, unless I say otherwise, while she's speaking with me. Otherwise, I'll likely have to increase the punishment I give you after I hear whatever she has to say. Once I've heard from her enough, I'll then give you about five more minutes each to make your concluding statements about this matter, with you speaking first, before I decide your respective punishments for at least the time being."

Then Queen Serenity nodded for Serena to begin speaking. Serena then discussed the matter at hand at some length, at least, with Queen Serenity, before Queen Serenity finally said, "Enough, Serena. Raye, do you have anything you want to say in your closing argument about this matter?"

Raye then answered, "Yes, I do." Then she spent about the next five minutes wrapping up her side of the matter in front of Queen Serenity and all of her fellow Princesses, until Queen Serenity told her she'd done so for a long enough time here. Then she had Raye sit down while Serena had her chance to make her final arguments about this particular matter to her mother. About another five minutes later, then, Queen Serenity then had Serena sit down elsewhere in her mother's chambers.

Queen Serenity had everyone remain quiet while she then considered the matter at hand for at least a little while, for the obvious reasons. She silently considered the real facts of the case, and she eventually reached a decision for it. She then had Serena and Raye stand next to each other, before she gave her verdict about the current matter.

She looked at Serena and Raye for a moment, with a straight face, so as not to let them know her decision before she announced it to everyone now with her in her chambers. She then said, "Raye Erica Hino and Serena Ruth Teresa Hope Rose Moon, you have recently acted rather hostile to each other without entirely justifiable reasons while we've been here in the Imperial Palace of Cuzco, Peru, here on Earth. It is the judgement of this court that you both be grounded for the duration of this stay of ours on Earth, plus another four to six months after we return to the Moon from Earth, if at all possible. When you're not required to be elsewhere either on Earth or on the Moon, or wherever else we might end up in God's Universe, before we return for a long enough time to the Moon, you'll both be restricted to your respective chambers, wherever they may be, unless I state otherwise. You'll also be allowed no unnecessary visitors while you're grounded. There'll be no time off for good behavior this time, I think. For your recent actions around each other have been so bad, since we came here a little while ago, that I think such reduction of this sentence is unwarranted, at least at the current time, if I'll possibly change my mind about such an idea being implemented. And I've also decided to put you both on probation, Serena and Raye. Meaning that, unless I see some reasonably appropriate improvements in your normal behavior around each other very soon, you'll all not be going to the Academy anytime in the very near future, so that you can all eventually become official Cadet Scouts."

"But haven't we been training well enough to likely be going there in the very near future?" asked Serena.

"If you hadn't acted up with Raye, Serena, I might've said that you girls might have been due to go there sometime in the next year, at the very latest. But now that you and Raye have done this bit of misbehaving with each other, I won't likely be sending you all to the Academy until at least your 12th birthday, Serena, if not later than that. And I don't think that you'll all be able to train officially as Cadet Scouts for at least another year or two here. This is because of your rowdy misbehavior with Raye. I know that the other girls might not deserve to get punished for your misbehavior. But you're supposed to be their leader, Serena. And if you get punished, then they'll be punished too. Even if they don't actually deserve it. Destiny was actually hoping that you girls could all become Cadet Sailor Scouts, at the very least, by your next birthday, Serena. And so was Bethany. Now, by acting like you have with Raye, I don't think that I can, in any good conscience, allow that, at least not for quite a while."

"You mean that Raye and I cost all of us potential upgrades in the next five or so months, most likely?"

"Yes, Serena, I am meaning that. And the blame rests on your shoulders exactly as much as it does on hers, and vice versa. If you'd actually each sworn at each other, then the penalties I'm assessing you would be considerably greater, for all of the obvious reasons. Furthermore, I'm going to be dampening your powers whenever you're training with Raye, at least for as long as you two are grounded, Serena. The same thing's true for Raye's powers whenever she's training with you, as well, of course. When you aren't training with each other, then I may or may not dampen them. Darien will also not be coming to your chambers anywhere alone while you're both grounded. I also will not reduce one term of the grounding punishment for one of you two more than I do for the other term of grounding punishment for the other one of you two. If I reduce one term a certain amount, I'll reduce the other term just as much, to be fair to either of you girls. Even though you both acted rather terrible around each other quite a while ago. However, if you two still actually continue to misbehave more than I feel you should around each other, I may very well increase the term of the grounding punishment for either or both of you, as I see fit. If you two actually do want to ever make it somehow to a full-fledged Sailor Scout state of being for either of you before they come after those of us in the Moon Kingdom, or elsewhere in God's own Universe, at least once more, then I very strongly suggest that you girls start behaving well enough around each other very soon. Or you'll most likely never even have a chance to do so. And all your fellow Sailor Scouts who aren't yet full-fledged Sailor Scouts by then, will also most likely never have the chance to do so either, before it may be too late for us to save our Moon Kingdom somehow, if at all possible."

"Anything else, Mother?"

"Until further notice, both of you girls are to be restricted to your chambers. And you're both to relinquish your power lockets to me. When it's time for you to train again, or you'll need them at other times, you'll then receive them back from me. After each training session, or other situation which you'd need them to be available to you, you're both to return them to me. And I'll hold them at least until you each have need of them again. I don't really expect there to be any balls or parties during which you'll likely have to wear them. So I'll retain possession of them whenever you two aren't actually training or you don't have need of them at all. Do you two currently have your lockets on your persons right now?"

Serena and Raye soon said, "No," after checking their respective persons for such things, of course.

"Amy and Bethany, go to your respective chambers, and get them for me," ordered Queen Serenity. So Amy and Bethany did so, and they returned with them moments later. After Bethany and Amy did as ordered of them by Queen Serenity, Queen Serenity then produced her Imperium Silver Crystal from a pocket in her current gown, and she said, "Amy, Raye's locket, please."

Amy gave it to her, and Queen Serenity soon brought it in contact with her Imperium Silver Crystal. By doing so, she dampened the power of Raye's locket to a certain degree, of course. By the time that she'd finally done so well enough to suit her, she'd then dampened it twenty percent, at the very least, if not more.

Bethany soon provided her with Serena's locket, after which Serenity also dampened the power of Serena's locket by at least twenty percent, if not more, in the exact same manner, of course. After she'd done so well enough to suit her as well with Serena's locket at the current time, she then set both Raye and Serena's lockets on a table near her at the current time. Then she soon dismissed everyone from her sight except for her cats Luna and Artemis, finally. For she really didn't want to see any other Princess from Serena's crowd for at least a little while at the current time. Especially Serena and Raye, of course.

Of course, that obviously meant that Hannah and all the other Princesses with her in Queen Serenity's chambers had to leave them for a while. By that time, when they all had to do that, it was now getting very close to 12:30 pm local time. Hannah soon went to somewhere else on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Cuzco. While each of the other Princesses then went back to each of their current chambers in that palace. Hannah went alone to that particular place elsewhere on the Imperial Palace's grounds. Specifically to the area immediately around the Rainbow Garden's main fountain on those grounds.

_  
A Rather Hostile Takeover_ will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same, readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!


	8. Chapter Eight

In the last chapter for this story, Serena and Raye actually had a rather heated argument of some sort with each other. Just what the ultimate effects of it will be for all the necessary people here will continue to remain quite unrevealed before I get into this next chapter of this story here, quite obviously. But I'll say that this argument will make it even more difficult for the Scouts for at least a little while, if not for a long while, just the same, in fact, readers. How so, you'll all just have to read on in my series here in order to find out, for all the obvious reasons, of course.

In this chapter of the story, there will be four new Scouts for Serena's crowd. And who they will become as Scouts is yet to be seen. I will say this, though, people. They will be entirely Terran as Scouts, no matter what their Scout names might actually be in their respective lives. They may not actually be from the Moon Kingdom, but they will still be Sailor Scouts, just like the current Skyhorse is. You might consider them to be, if you wish, members of the Sailor Scout Auxiliaries, so to speak, if you don't want to consider them actual Sailor Scouts. But they will still be considered actual Sailor Scouts in this particular story Universe, just the same, by me, in fact. Who they will be, you'll just have to read ahead to find out, for I don't really want to ruin this next chapter of the story, if I can possibly avoid it at all here, of course.

Now, without further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. For there are still plenty more chapters to put up for this particular story here. And I'd really prefer to put them all up in their proper order, just as soon as I possibly can, in fact. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any or all of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories, for the obvious reasons, people. Remember, standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever the need arises. However, I still would hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here, for I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you all will continue to read and enjoy it, for it's obvious that you all haven't recently reviewed any of my fan fiction work here on , readers! It would be real nice to get some clean, courteous, and constructive reviews, though, just the same, people. Now to the story!

_A Rather Hostile Takeover_

A _The Chrysanthemum Chronicles_ Series Story

Rainbow Garden In The Imperial Palace

Cuzco, Peru, Earth

January 30, 987 - January 31, 987

By the time she got there, four other girls were walking and talking with each other there for a while. Ginkya was the first of the four to see her, and she asked, "How are you right now, Hannah?"

"Okay, I guess. But Queen Serenity doesn't really want me in her chambers right now."

"Why, if you don't mind me asking?" asked Ginkya.

"It seems a few members of our party acted rather badly to each other for a while earlier today."

"Let me guess. Raye and Serena, Hannah?" asked Ginkya.

"As a matter of fact, Ginkya, yes. But how did you know that?"

"A feeling, I guess. From what we currently know of you all, it'd be most logical that those two girls would get into a really bad argument with each other, more so than the rest of you, I think. Sure, we don't exactly know what this particular disagreement might be about, Hannah. But if any of you girls would be arguing with each other here, it'd be most logical that it'd be Serena and Raye going at each other in their lives, based on what we currently know of you so far."

"I really don't like it, Serena and Raye fighting so much with each other in their lives."

"Do they do it often?"

"From my personal experience with them, it seems that they're often arguing about things or people in their lives. I don't really understand why, Mara, if I'll ever somehow understand why someday. But they're usually arguing with each other in them. From what I myself know of them, it's very rare for them to go at least one week or two without arguing with each other about something or someone in their lives."

"How bad do these fights get, Hannah?"

"Not cursing bad, but still lots of yelling and fighting bad, Mara."

Mara considered this, then asked, "It seems that your two fellow Princesses really care for each other, if they often fight with each other like they do. They don't often throw things that could seriously hurt or even kill each other, do they?"

"No, Queen Serenity's forbidden them and the rest of us from doing so in our lives. She doesn't want us to seriously hurt or even kill each other, of course. No matter how mad we might actually get at each other, she won't let us do so at all, or even take the risk that we might do so, Mara. Sure, she realizes that sometimes we might really be steamed at other members of our crowd, for the obvious reasons, of course. But she still won't let us even take the risk that we might seriously hurt or kill each other in our lives. No matter how mad we might get at each other, she still won't let us do that."

"She'd prefer that if you all ever had to fight, it'd be only against those people that'd be against the Moon Kingdom or its friends, and nobody else," said Zardiz.

"Correct, Zardiz. But she understands that at least sometimes, we may get really mad at each other in our lives, even though she might wish otherwise, of course."

"And what of all the other Princesses besides you who are now in Serena's crowd, Hannah?"

"Well, we don't often think that Raye and Serena need to argue with each other as much as they often do, Yazmis."

"I see. But is it sometimes warranted, most likely, for them to argue with each other about someone or something in their lives?"

"I suppose that might be the case at least every once in a while, but I don't think that it's usually the case, at least for them, if not other people as well, in their lives, Yazmis."

"For the obvious reasons, of course?"

"Yes, Yazmis. I'm afraid their all-too-frequent habit of arguing with each other in their lives may eventually come back to hurt us when we have to fight against the Negaverse, of course. Though I don't know when and where that might ever turn out to be the case for any or all of us yet, if I'll ever know those things in my life somehow and someday."

"How so?"

"The Negaverse might interpret their arguments as a sign of weakness for our Moon Kingdom and try to use them to separate us easily enough, I think. I don't know yet how they might try to separate us, of course. But I suspect that they might someday try to do just that, if they think that we're all showing that we might be too weak to oppose them well enough anywhere in our very own Moon Kingdom. And especially if they meet up with us somewhere back on the Moon."

"What do you all know about this Negaverse so far, Hannah?"

"Their foes will likely have to fight for their own lives, if they ever meet up with them in their lives. For they'll never likely give any of their foes in battle any mercy at all. That's if I remember our first tangling with them some time ago elsewhere in God's very own Universe well enough, Ginkya."

"And if we and other Monitors have to fight them?"

"Then you'll likely have to fight to the death with them. And quite likely, you'll have to kill them when you oppose them at all. If you don't show yourself to be on their side, then they'll most likely destroy you if they possibly can, Ginkya."

Hannah and the four Peruvian Princesses talked at least a little while longer with each other about many things, at least until Lita found them all in that garden as well, and found them with each other there. Lita soon came to where they all were in it, once she saw them all there, and she soon said, "Queen Serenity says that we're all likely going to have to train somewhere in the next hour or two, if at all possible, Hannah."

"How much of a space will you Scouts likely need to train in, Lita?" asked Mara.

"An area that's about 57,600 square feet or so in its size, at the very least, if not larger, Mara."

"Hmmmmm. Girls, would you say the South Courtyard would be large enough?" asked Mara of her fellow Peruvian Princesses.

"First, before we answer that, we have a question that I think we should ask of Lita, if not of any other member of her party of visitors," said Ginkya.

"Oh?" asked Mara.

"That question is this, Mara. What kind of things would you ladies then be doing in the place where we'd most likely be putting you all for your Sailor Scout training sessions, at least while you're all still here on Earth?"

"I think that you should have Queen Serenity answer that, girls," answered Lita.

"Hannah, do you agree?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, Ginkya. We're not really at liberty right now to divulge all our secrets about our fighting techniques, items, and other weapons. I think the same thing might be true for you and any other Monitor, at least normally, Ginkya."

"So you're both saying that we'll all most likely have to direct any questions in that particular regard, at least, to your Queen?"

"Yes, we are, Ginkya," answered Lita.

"Then I suppose we need to talk to your Queen before we lend a place to you all, so that you can all continue to train as Sailor Scouts in your own mortal lives."

"If you think that's necessary, Ginkya, so be it. But she's still not expecting any other visitors at the current time."

"I understand that may be true, but before Mara and the rest of us can likely provide you all with a training area, we'll apparently have to talk to Queen Serenity for at least a little while."

"As you wish, girls," Lita finally said to her and Hannah's current companions, after a few moments of consideration and at least a little more discussion about the current matter for them all. Then she and Hannah soon brought their Peruvian friends to Queen Serenity's current chambers in the Imperial Palace. Lita knocked on her Queen's door when she and Hannah came to them with all four of the Peruvian Princesses who they currently knew were Monitors in the Peruvian Empire.

Queen Serenity soon said, "Come on in, Lita. I hope that you've already seen to a training area for us to train in as Scouts."

"Not yet, but I did see what I could do. However, you're going to have to talk to our Peruvian friends for a while, in order for us to have that training area while we're with them here on Earth."

"I see. Send them in, then, Lita. Hannah, come in here with them. Then, Lita, I want you to get all the other girls for the time being, even two certain ones who recently acted up here."

"Understood, Queen Serenity," said Lita. Lita then sent in the four Peruvian Princesses with Hannah, before she went to each of the necessary chambers elsewhere on the Cuzco-area Imperial Palace's grounds. The last two girls she picked up were Amy and Raye, after she'd sent all the other girls to Queen Serenity's chambers ahead of Amy, Raye, and herself. She didn't walk with more than four other girls at the same time, of course. Before she'd move on to the next chambers she'd have to stop at, she'd first send all the occupants of the chambers that she'd just stopped at on ahead of her in the Imperial Palace of Cuzco, Peru. This wasn't always preferred by her fellow Princesses, for they'd all really wanted to return with her to Queen Serenity's chambers, if it was at all possible. Even Serena, of course.

When Lita got to Amy and Raye's chambers in the Imperial Palace, she soon knocked on the required door, and she said, "There's a meeting now in Queen Serenity's chambers, you two. Your presences are required there as soon as possible."

Raye soon said, through the door, "Lita, I hope a certain Moon brat really isn't with you right now."

"Raye, she isn't. But if you don't quit talking like that, then I may have to try to give you an attitude adjustment, if Queen Serenity allows me to do that. Sure, you may disagree with her from time to time. But you do bring a whole lot of trouble upon your own head with her at least every once in a while, as well, Raye."

Amy then opened the door, and let Lita into their chambers, as Raye said, from another part of them, "I don't really think that Queen Serenity will really let you try to do that to me, Lita."

"Maybe not. But frankly, Raye, I'm quite tired right now of you fighting with Serena so often, if you don't have to, in your life. And I really think that Amy and a least a few other members of Serena's crowd besides Serena, of course, also feel the same way, normally, or at least at the current time, in each of their own lives," said Lita, as Amy then shut their door.

"I agree with you, Lita," said Amy, as she sat down on a couch in the chambers currently in question in the Imperial Palace. "I don't think that Raye and Serena should fight with each other so much in their lives."

Raye then came out from the part of their chambers she'd just been in, and she soon said, "I guess I'm as ready to leave here as I can be right now, Lita."

Lita then asked, "Amy, what about you?"

"I've got my locket with me now, Lita, so I believe I'm ready to leave here now." Amy said this as she reached into a handbag hanging from her left shoulder, and produced her locket, so that Lita could see that she actually did have it at the current time.

"Queen Serenity has my locket, Lita."

"I know that, and so does Amy, of course."

"Well, I wish I had it with me now."

"Maybe so, but you don't, because you acted up with Serena just a while ago. She has them for a very good reason, Raye. And this time, I think that you and Serena really got her quite mad at you both. For I really don't think she's ever taken your respective lockets away from you both before, because of you fighting with each other."

"No, she hasn't, I think, Lita."

"Well, then I think that you two are going to have to work very hard to get them back again all the time in the future, Raye. Queen Serenity's apparently quite upset with you both, and I really don't blame her at all. You and Serena have never gone at each other like this before, as long as you've known each other in your lives, I think."

"I don't know about that, Lita."

"Well, I think that you and everyone else in your life who knows you and Serena well enough in it would say that you two have never gone at each other like this before."

"Maybe so, but would they be entirely correct?"

"Perhaps they would be, Raye. Perhaps not. But I think that they would be, because I feel that you two haven't ever gone at each other before like this in your lives."

"Well, I want my locket back."

"I'm sure Serena would too, Raye, but you two lost your lockets for a while, because of your recent fighting with each other. I suggest that you both had better mind yourselves rather well for at least as long as you'll be grounded if you want to have your lockets all the time again at your disposals, Raye. Both you and Serena, of course."

Then Lita said nothing more, before she eventually left Amy and Raye's chambers with Amy and Raye, of course. Lita soon showed up outside Queen Serenity's chambers, as required, and then knocked on her leader's door.

From inside the chambers in question currently, Queen Serenity then asked, "Is that you, Lita?"

"Yes, Queen Serenity, it is. I have Raye and Amy here with me now. Should we come in right away?"

"Please do." So Lita, Amy, and Raye soon entered the room, and Queen Serenity then said, "I'm glad you three are now here."

"What's up, Queen Serenity?" asked Lita.

"The Princesses want to train with us, if at all possible, while we're here with them."

"But they're not Scouts like us, are they?"

"No. But I don't think that'll be a problem, if you girls won't mind me making them part of our training sessions while we're here with them."

"But they don't have any special powers or items at their disposals as Monitors in their Peruvian Empire, do they?"

"Not yet, I think, Lita, though I could be wrong, of course. But they do have Crystals representing at least four of their nation's main cities, if not more." Lita, Amy, and Raye then sat down wherever they could find a spot to do so in Queen Serenity's chambers.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, Lita. They have Crystals representing their cities of Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa, and Puno, at least, if not other cities as well in their nation here on Earth."

"And how would you be able to make them able to train with us?"

"Well, if they'll provide lockets for their Crystals to be put in, I think that I can make them at least temporary, if not permanent, Scouts, for at least as long as we're here with them. Of course, if I do, then we'll have to share more about ourselves than they already know about us, most likely."

"You mean by transforming in front of them, Queen Serenity?" asked Raye, moments later, after she thought about that for a little while.

"Yes, Raye. We're most likely going to be facing the same people in battle, at least once, if not more, I think, so maybe we should show them who we all are whenever we're in each of our Sailor Scout states of being in our lives. This is so that if we show up around them while we're here on Earth with them, they won't be so surprised with how we look whenever we do just that."

"I don't know if that'd be wise, Queen Serenity."

"Do you have a better idea on how we can protect them all easily enough if our enemies come here to wreak havoc anywhere they possibly can on Earth, Raye?"

"I guess not. But I still don't like it, Queen Serenity."

"Well, Mina, Alexis, Susan, Hannah, and all the other Moon Kingdom girls here besides you, Lita, and Amy, think that it might be a good idea for us to do this kind of thing, Raye. So do Sylvia, Luna, and Artemis, as a matter of fact," said Queen Serenity.

"I don't think we should transform in front of them, though, if you want us to, I suppose that we could all do so, Queen Serenity."

"Understood, Raye. But I feel that we have to take the risk that the Negaverse finds out about our new connection to these Peruvian Empire Princesses, and to their Monitors, Raye. They're willing to take the chance that just by knowing us, they could find themselves and many other people in their lives in at least some danger, if not a lot. And if they are, the least that we can do, I think, is to try to help them all out to the best of our own respective abilities as Sailor Scouts. Even if we have to transform in front of them in order to do just that."

Amy said. "I hope you've thought this out as logically as you possibly can, Queen Serenity."

"Believe me, Amy, I have. I've considered all possible variables that I can even think of, and considered them quite thoroughly, Amy. And this idea of mine and everyone else here besides you, Raye, and Lita seems to be our best course of action while we're here with our Peruvian friends, or at least it does at the current time. I know that you three may have your doubts about it, of course. So do we all, as well, Amy. But this just seems to be the best course of action for at least a little while, if not for the rest of our stay here on Earth this time."

Then Queen Serenity said, "Serena and Raye, I'm going to hand you both back your lockets at least for the time being. I want you two to transform in front of everyone else here, including our new Peruvian friends, when I say so, after I give your lockets back to you for the time being."

"Understood," said Serena and Raye, in turn, when Queen Serenity looked at each of them, one girl at a time.

Raye said, "Before we do so, Queen Serenity, don't you think that our Peruvian associates should provide lockets for their Crystals first?"

Queen Serenity considered this for a few moments, at least, then she said, "I suppose that might be a good idea, Raye. If that isn't too much of a problem for them, of course."

Mara said, "I think that we can do that here, if it might ease Raye, Lita, and Amy's fears about you actually transforming in front of us."

"Then, if you all don't mind, would you get lockets for yourself to wear for at least the time being, whenever you train with us in this part of Earth?"

"Sure, I think that we can do that, Queen Serenity," said Mara. "Just give me a few moments to consult with my fellow Monitors who are now with you and me here."

So Queen Serenity and her other current companions did so here. And then Mara soon said, "Ginkya will bring four lockets to these chambers for us to use while you're here with us. We have our Crystals on our persons, but not our lockets that we might be able to use while you're here with us."

"I think that you'll also need to provide four tiaras for your own use, Mara, for at least the time being, so that you look enough like a Scout to maybe be able to protect your people better than you might be able to if you didn't do so. You might also have to refrain from using face paint most of the time, at least, if not all of it, while you're training with us. Also for the same reasons, I think. Believe me, I have nothing personal against you using face paint, girls. But if you look like a native of this world, at least of this part of it, they might pay special attention to you, and single you girls out for their attacks against their various enemies in the Universe. And if they did, and were successful enough, then you girls might not be able to protect your people well enough from potential harm at their hands."

"What about any other Monitor?"

"They'll likely have to do the same, if they somehow encounter us while we're all here on Earth with you all, Yazmis."

"Ginkya, please go as I have so directed, and bring us four lockets no more than 48 cubic inches in size. First, go to the Rainbow Garden. Then, after you leave there, go through the Hall of Memories and the High Sierra Garden to each of our chambers elsewhere in this palace. While you're in each chamber, retrieve our favorite lockets from their usual hiding places in them, if at all possible. I won't say where those places are in them, at least not in front of our new Sailor Scout friends, of course. But you should still know where to look for them all, Ginkya. Be back here with them and as quickly as you can, and let nobody who doesn't already know of our newest associates yet see you do so, if at all possible. As you return to us here, I want you to then stop by the Hall of Messengers, and for you to bring us the four tiaras that we all wear on most formal occasions that we normally have to attend here in our nation, Ginkya. Oh, and before I forget, please make sure, if you can, that before you leave each of our chambers, you've also retrieved one neckerchief or scarf from them, so that we can put our lockets on above the knots in them."

Ginkya acknowledged her cousin Mara's orders with a brief nod, then set off for the necessary places elsewhere in the palace, as directed by her cousin. She took the exact course given her by Mara, and soon arrived in her chambers. She then went to where she'd normally hide her favorite locket in her chambers, and she retrieved it. It was just barely small enough to meet her cousin's criteria for locket size. She stored it away in a sack that she'd tied on her belt shortly after entering the Hall of Memories, and then she soon left her chambers behind for her cousin Yazmis Takya's chambers.

While in those chambers, Ginkya got another locket for her cousin to use for at least the time being from the necessary place, as well as a pair of shoes that were part open-toed sandals, part rabbit-fringed moccasins, and part boots. The front third of the shoes were mostly open-toed with leather straps crossing periodically across each other, while the middle third of the shoes were made of highly tanned and rainbow-dyed doeskin, and the back third of the shoes basically looking like medium-height boots with two-inch-high mostly rubber heels. The front of the shoes' heels were cut about three inches in front of the back parts of them, and about an inch or two behind the line dividing the shoes' middle sections from the shoes' back sections. The lines between each shoe's thirds were marked off by seams joining them to their neighboring sections, of course. The soles of the shoes were made of leather, doeskin, or mainly of rubber, and they were joined with rather strong stitching to each of their three zones, mainly with rather strong twine that'd also allow some stretching of the soles whenever the situation might require it, but not too much. Ginkya got those shoes for her cousin Yazmis to wear, after she first got the necessary locket from her cousin's chambers, and then she put that locket and those shoes in her sack as well. Before she left them, she also picked up a rug somewhat near the door that was decorated on both sides with a rather eagle-like bird with several black and crimson wingtips on its mostly silver body. And this particular bird on the rug here had three black stripes and two crimson stripes alternating with each other on the back of its mostly olive green head, as well as an orange stripe running lengthwise down the center of its mostly sky blue and chocolate brown bill, from the innermost end of each half of its bill to the outermost end of it. She also put that rug in her sack, of course, before she finally left her cousin's chambers behind again.

Next, she went to Zardiz's chambers, and she then retrieved the necessary locket from them, after confirming to a sufficient enough degree that it'd meet with Mara's criteria for the lockets they'd use at least temporarily while they practiced with the Scouts. She also got a bow and at least one full quiver of arrows, as well as a shield about two feet wide, three feet tall, and about six inches thick, from a closet in Zardiz's chambers. After which she then inserted the bow and arrows into her sack, and hung Zardiz's shield rather securely indeed on her back, much like Terrans of a future time might possibly wear a backpack, if not entirely like that. The shield was mostly light green with gold border trim and two mostly white llama heads on it, and she put it on her own back rather easily, as a matter of fact. After doing that, and after having loaded her sack with the aforementioned bow and arrows and the required locket, she then left her cousin Zardiz Buzmura's chambers again, of course.

She then set off for Mara's chambers, and she soon found the necessary locket of Mara's in them, as well as a few writing utensils, some paint that Mara would normally use whenever she wrote something down, and at least one blank scroll of Mara's in them. Of course, she then loaded up her sack with Mara's locket, a few of Mara's writing utensils, several paint containers, and the aforementioned blank scroll or scrolls, before she again left her cousin Mara's chambers. After leaving Mara's chambers, she then set off for the Hall of Messengers, as she'd been directed to do earlier by Mara, so that she could then pick up the necessary tiaras there, of course.

She soon arrived in the Hall of Messengers, then moments after doing so, she found all four of the necessary tiaras there. After saying the necessary access phrases, she then retrieved them, and hung them on her right arm near her elbow, in such a manner that they wouldn't easily fall off her arm, at least while she was in the process of returning with them to Queen Serenity and Hannah's current chambers in the Imperial Palace of Cuzco, Peru, on Earth. She hung those tiaras on her arm, with Mara's tiara being closest to her shoulder as she did so. After doing that, she then returned as quickly as she could do so safely enough to Queen Serenity's chambers, of course, returning just before her fellow Peruvian Princesses were about to search for her elsewhere in the Imperial Palace.

When she returned to them, it was now about 5:30 pm local time. Mara asked her why it took her so long to return to them, after being away from them for at least an hour, if not longer, and Ginkya said, "It took me a little while longer than I expected to get the tiaras you wanted me to get, for I had to take an alternate route between your own chambers and the Hall of Messengers, Mara. General Tucariono was then occupying the main route between your chambers and the Hall of Messengers as he was also with a number of his Black Thunder Order cronies there. He was then heading off toward the main stable area with them, as if they were all planning on raiding several nearby villages around here, but he and his BTO cronies didn't do anything to suggest to me that they were about to do that. I couldn't get close enough to hear their conversation well enough for a long enough time, for you told me, essentially, to avoid all unnecessary contact with any other people here on the grounds of this Imperial Palace for us, though, if I possibly could do so, Mara."

Mara soon said, "I suppose we should ask Firehawk and at least a few other Monitors to keep an eye on them for us for at least a little while, then, Ginkya."

"That might be a good idea, as a matter of fact," said Ginkya.

"Now or later, Ginkya?"

"Later, I think, after we spend at least a little more time with our new associates here, Mara. I don't think that our enemies here will do much in the next few hours, at least, for it usually takes them at least a week or two, if not longer, to plan their next attack or attacks elsewhere in our nation, after they go after certain villages close to our nation's main cities, if I'm not mistaken. I heard about a day or two ago about their latest raid about five days before then in the area of Macchu Picchu, when they tried to disrupt the latest precious metals train to Callao from the general area of Ayaviri, as it stopped for the night in the Macchu Picchu area. Fortunately, they weren't able to get away with more than about a few hundred pounds, at most, of gold and various other metals, such as copper and iron, mainly, I think."

"So most of the things on that cargo train got to Callao safely enough?" asked Mara.

"Yes. It may take them a while to process the things that they just stole into useful enough items for their purposes, whatever they may be, and while they're doing that, I don't think that we'll have to worry about them a great deal here in our nation. Sure, they may eventually cause more trouble for us later, of course, but I don't think that they'll be raiding again in the next few days, unless they get some help from certain people we don't know all that much about yet, if we ever will."

Then Ginkya began giving the necessary items to her fellow Peruvian Princesses, as needed. She gave Mara her writing supplies, including, of course, the blank scroll or scrolls she'd earlier gotten from Mara's own chambers. And, of course, she gave one of the tiaras to Mara as well. The tiara that she gave to Mara had a stone set in its center that was mostly white with purple and hunter green swirls on it. Mara then thanked her for getting that tiara for her, for the obvious reasons, just before she put it on her head, just above her hairline. Mara then received her locket and a neckerchief that was colored much the same way as the stone in her tiara was colored currently. Mara then put the neckerchief Ginkya had just given her on, then the locket, before she tied a knot in the neckerchief just below where she placed the locket on it. That meant that while she was wearing the neckerchief around her neck, she was also wearing her locket, of course. Her locket had her initials on it interlocking with each other in purple on a mostly hunter green background on the front of it. On this locket, there was a mostly rolled-up scroll in white on that background, and where it wasn't rolled up, the interlocking letters appeared on that scroll. The remaining parts of the locket were made primarily of an alloy of gold, silver, and steel, in equal parts, whenever possible. And the locket normally opened to its right whenever she wore it, as it'd likely be able to do, even if she became at least a temporary Sailor Scout, and not just a Monitor. The area that'd then be accessible would normally be just large enough for certain items that were small enough to fit in it, like maybe a small portrait, for example, if it was small enough to do so.

As Mara then made sure that her locket was exactly as she wanted it above the knot in her neckerchief, she said, "Queen Serenity, I hope that you'll be able to unite my locket with my Crystal, once I get close enough for you to see if you can do that." After she did that, she then took her Lima Crystal out of a pocket of the purple, white, and hunter green gown that she was now wearing, and showed it to Queen Serenity and the rest of their current companions who hadn't ever seen it well enough before, or allowed them to feel it, if they couldn't see it, of course. That very Crystal looked almost entirely, if not entirely, like the stone in her tiara, and the neckerchief, that she was now wearing on her person, not to mention her own current gown.

Queen Serenity and her fellow companions who hadn't ever seen or felt that Crystal well enough before, then soon finished looking at it, and/or feeling it, as the case might be, before Mara lent it to Queen Serenity for at least the time being, of course. Queen Serenity then said, "Mara, what do you want us to call you whenever you're training with us as a Scout, at least on a temporary basis?"

Mara thought for a moment, then said, "Call me 'Amilaram', if that's all right with you all, everyone. It's my current Monitor name anyway, as a matter of fact. Partly because I'm from Lima, and partly because I chose that name when I became a Monitor, for that's one of my current pen names as a writer and poet."

Queen Serenity thought about that idea for at least a few seconds, then she said, "Agreed, Mara. Let it be as you've said, then."

Ginkya then provided Zardiz and Yazmis with the items that she'd gotten from each of their chambers in turn, of course, before she attended to the things that she herself had brought with her from her own chambers in the Imperial Palace of Cuzco, Peru. Zardiz was quite happy that Ginkya had brought at least one loaded quiver of arrows from her own chambers there, when Ginkya had gone there to get all the necessary items from Zardiz's chambers.

And Yazmis was glad that Ginkya had found her favorite shoes and the rug with that bird on both sides of it. This was because she really liked wearing those shoes and being near that rug, at the very least, whenever she possibly could do so in her life. Little did anyone know, though, that the rug might allow her to fly high in the sky someday, or that she might find that wings like the ones for the bird on either side of that rug might appear on her Monitor and/or Sailor Scout uniform back or backs. But only time, of course, if either or both of those things ever became the case for her in her own mortal life in God's very own Universe. After Yazmis had received that rug from her cousin Ginkya, she said, "I made this rug all by myself about a year ago, everyone."

Everybody who'd not yet ever seen it before, and who could see it now, soon said, "You did a really good job on it, Yazmis. I wish we could've watched you make it when you did."

Ginkya then said, "Queen Serenity, you all can call me 'Sierra Ayknuzco' or just 'Sierra' for short, if you all want to. I'm also from Cuzco, as a matter of fact."

"Yazmis, what about you?" asked Queen Serenity.

Yazmis said, "You can all call me 'Paquaresimzay', or 'Paquasim' for short, if you want to. I'm from Arequipa, by the way, just in case you all don't already know that yet."

"Zardiz?"

"Queen Serenity, 'Onupzidraz' is fine for me, if you all want to call me that in the future, or at least whenever I train with you all, for I'm from Puno here in our nation of Peru. If not that, then you can all call me 'Onziza', if you all want to do that instead."

"Fair enough, I suppose, Zardiz." Queen Serenity then retrieved her Imperium Silver Crystal from the same pocket that it had been in just before she dampened Raye and Serena's lockets with it, and she brought the Lima Crystal in close enough contact with it. She used the Imperium Silver Crystal to examine the Lima Crystal for a few seconds, then said, "It seems that this Crystal's of sufficient quality for me to be able to join it well enough with your locket, Mara. If it's all right with you, then, I'll make you at least a temporary Sailor Scout, Mara."

"It is, Queen Serenity, if you choose to make me one somehow."

"As you say, Mara. I shall then make you one. You'll be a Junior Sailor Scout, then."

"Agreed." Then Queen Serenity put her Imperium Silver Crystal back in her pocket moments later, after examining the Lima Crystal with it. When she looked at Mara, to confirm for sure that Mara was being totally honest with her at the current time, she saw Mara nod at her. Then she began bringing the Lima Crystal into substantial contact with Mara's locket, until it began uniting with her locket, as Queen Serenity and Mara were also saying all the necessary words that'd turn Mara into a Sailor Scout, at least on a temporary, if not a permanent, basis, as the Junior Sailor Scout Amilaram.

After Queen Serenity finished working with Mara's locket and Lima Crystal, she soon worked with Ginkya, Yazmis, and Zardiz's lockets and Crystals, so that they could allow their respective owners to become at least temporary Sailor Scouts, if not permanent Sailor Scouts, of any currently-known kind of Sailor Scout in God's very own Universe. Which meant that they'd be, in most, if not all, cases, at least while they were Sailor Scouts, the Scouts Amilaram, Sierra, Paquasim, and Onziza, if the longer versions of their names weren't used by other people while they were on Earth with their new Peruvian Empire associates.

After Queen Serenity did that, she then handed Serena and Raye back their lockets, at least for the time being, and had her Scouts follow her into their respective Sailor Scout states of being. Of course, Luna and Artemis didn't transform themselves into Scouts, for the obvious reasons, but after Queen Serenity transformed herself into Royal Sailor Serenity, all her other companions transformed into their respective Scout states of being, if they were able to do so well enough at the current time. Serena became Moon, Amy became Mercury, Raye became Mars, Lita became Jupiter, Mina became Venus, Susan became Pluto Beta, Alexis became Uranus Beta, Michelle became Neptune Beta, Hannah became Saturn Beta, Destiny became Corona, Bethany became Eclipse, and Sylvia became Skyhorse. Mara and her fellow Monitors soon said, after all of them had done so, "We think that you all look rather attractive in your Sailor Scout uniforms. I suppose that we could actually let you use the South Courtyard, after all, for your training sessions. You did tell us what you'd most likely be doing in whatever place we make available to you for your training while you're with us. But if you needlessly destroy anything, then you'll likely have to replace it, for the obvious reasons, of course, everyone."

"Fair enough, Mara," said Royal Sailor Serenity.

"Now how do we transform into Sailor Scouts?"

"Did you see how we began the transformation process?"

Mara said, "So we're supposed to say our Scout names followed by the word Power."

"I believe that'll be how it works for you, just as it usually, if not always, works for those of us who are Sailor Scouts, girls."

Mara and her three fellow Peruvian Princesses then began saying the necessary phrases, of course. And they all soon began transforming into their new Sailor Scout uniforms, which for them, looked like their own Monitor uniforms, as a matter of fact, but not entirely, of course. Mara ended up in a mostly purple, white, and hunter green outfit. Ginkya ended up mostly in navy blue and maroon. Yazmis ended up mostly in silver, crimson, and black. And Zardiz ended up mostly in gold and light green. Their face paint also disappeared from each of their faces, as their feathers also vanished from where they'd been in their hair, at least for the time being. However, their own snakeskin armbands did stay with them, and they even ended up with two snakeskin armbands each. Both of which looked like each other, even down to the agates hanging from them, for each of the girls currently in question, of course.

Just after Mara, Ginkya, Yazmis, and Zardiz had then become the Junior Sailors Amilaram, Sierra, Paquasim, and Onziza, respectively, here, Royal Sailor Serenity quite soon asked, "Can we all go to the place that you'll allow us to train in now, please, Amilaram?"

"Very well, Royal Sailor Serenity." Amilaram and her fellow Monitors who were also going to be Sailor Scouts on a temporary basis, at least, then said, "If you'll all follow us now, we'll all bring you to that particular place now."

So Royal Sailor Serenity and all her fellow Sailor Scouts not from Peru on Earth did indeed follow Amilaram and her fellow Monitors to that area of the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Cuzco, Peru. And so did Luna and Artemis, as quickly as they could, of course. After several minutes of walking, they all soon arrived there, of course, and Amilaram brought them all to the middle of it for a little while. She and her fellow Monitors then spoke of various things all over that courtyard, if the need arose for them to do so, before Royal Sailor Serenity and all of her current Scouts, including the ones that were also Monitors for the Peruvian Empire, of course, soon began training in it for a time. They all then trained in that courtyard together until about midnight local time, at the very latest, before Amilaram noticed that several of the Scouts were beginning to tire quite a bit in the Imperial Palace's South Courtyard of Cuzco, Peru, on Earth.

Amilaram suggested that they call at least a temporary halt to their training there, and Royal Sailor Serenity, having also noticed the same things that Amilaram just had, agreed with her completely. So she and Amilaram soon called an end to their training, at least for the time being. And after doing so, she soon got back Serena and Raye's lockets, after all her Scouts had powered down, and had transformed out of their respective Sailor Scout states of being, of course.

After she'd gotten back both Serena and Raye's power lockets from their respective owners, Queen Serenity soon sent them to bed, once they'd had a chance to get themselves a bedtime meal or snack for a while. She also let all her other companions do the same, of course, but she didn't take away their own respective lockets, if they had any at all. That was because they'd not lost access to them most of the time for any reason at all, unlike Raye and Serena, who'd lost majority access to them, for at least a while, to Queen Serenity, for their rather heated fight that'd taken place not too long before.

Raye eventually went back to her chambers with Amy, while Serena did the same with her sisters and Sylvia. And all the other Scouts soon returned to their assigned chambers in the Imperial Palace as well, of course. Even if they might've still preferred to stay out of them at least a little bit longer than all their other companions from the Moon Kingdom or elsewhere on Earth, they still did so.

After they all did so, they all eventually retired to their assigned sleeping areas in each of the chambers that'd been provided to them by their Peruvian friends. They all soon fell quite asleep in those very same sleeping areas in the required chambers of the Imperial Palace in Cuzco, Peru, on Earth. Even Michelle and Alexis, if not other people with them as well, did so, of course, in that very palace. As they returned to their respective chambers in it, their still-new Peruvian friends then said good night to them all, just before they themselves eventually retired to their own chambers there as well.

And they stayed asleep for at least a while, until it was at least local dawn, if not later than that, in the area of Cuzco, Peru, on January 31, 987. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons.

_A Rather Hostile Takeover_ will still take at least some time to put up here, just the same, readers. For I've not yet completed the series, even though I've written at least partly into the seventh volume of this series, if not totally into it. Six volumes are complete. The seventh volume in this series is in progress, as of the current time. And the Moon Kingdom hasn't yet fallen at the point that I am now at in its series. When I finish getting the first six volumes of this story series up, I'll then start to upload the seventh one. And then we can go from there, once you've seen all that I'll have by that time for "The Chrysanthemum Chronicles" story series, readers. I don't expect to be able to start uploading the seventh volume in the series for at least a few weeks or months, though, people. For each volume in this particular story series of mine here is generally of good size, whenever possible, in fact, readers. There are many more things yet to come in this series. But if I say too much more than that right now and right here, you might choose not to continue reading this series, I think. For I might then be spoiling it for you all here, obviously enough, of course. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!


	9. Chapter Nine

In this story's last chapter, Queen Serenity made four Peruvian young girls who were also actually Monitors in their respective lives at least temporary, if not permanent, Scouts. They were all completely Terran, as a matter of fact. And not from anywhere at all in the Moon Kingdom, either. But she still made them at least temporary, if not permanent, Scouts in their lives. Those girls then became Junior Sailors Amilaram, Sierra, Paquasim, and Onziza, respectively, as a matter of fact, once she also made them Scouts in their lives here.

They'll all be considered as Scouts in this story Universe of mine, at least, if not also in any others of mine, by me, for your information. Even though they aren't actually part of the known canonical list of Scouts, they'll all be considered as such here. At least in my version of Sailor Moon and the applicable story Universe or Universes, that'll be the case for them all.

In this story's next chapter, the Negaverse and its rather strange beings will begin to make its move toward Earth and several places on it, in fact. That's if they haven't already done so by now, obviously enough. Just how, when, and where they will move to on, under, and around it, though, you'll all just have to read on to find out well enough, of course. For I don't really want to spoil this next section of the story here, if I can possibly avoid it, before you all have a good enough chance to read it.

Now, without much, if any, further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories. Remember, people, all the standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever necessary. However, I'd still hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here. For I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you all will continue to read and enjoy it, readers! Now on to the story!

_

* * *

A Rather Hostile Takeover_

A _The Chrysanthemum Chronicles_ Series Story

Somewhere In The Negaverse

Negaverse Dimension, The Universe

February 13, 987

About a week or two later, if not later than that, at the very least, all the necessary Negaversers were about to leave the Negaverse behind. And do that so they could hopefully gain a strong enough Earth-based foothold in the near future, and eventually use it to cause more trouble for the Moon Kingdom. Or for any other society in the Universe who might choose to oppose them, for that matter. Especially if they were on Earth, of course. They then were all most likely as ready as they could be before they'd leave the Negaverse behind for a time. And do so in order to try to gain a strong enough foothold of some sort for the Negaverse anywhere in the applicable solar system.

They were just about to open a portal that would hopefully bring them to Earth. They were now about ten minutes from doing so, more or less. And leading them, of course, would be Epusaconio, for the Negaverse advance scouting party of some sort. They didn't know just where on Earth they might land, obviously enough. But they did know that wherever they actually did end up on it, they'd still have to try to gain and hold a foothold on it. And do so at least long enough for the Negaverse to use it as a base from which to try to attack the Moon Kingdom from. If not other peoples on Earth's surface as well, of course.

Some time later, then, the required portal was open. And the Negaversers that'd be going to Earth, at least at the current time, began entering it, so that they could eventually wind up on Earth, if at all possible, for any or all of them. Epusaconio was the first of the Negaversers to enter that portal. That portal soon delivered them to the area around La Paz in the Peruvian Empire. And they began setting up a base of operations in it, for at least a while. They soon secured an area about ten to twenty square miles in size. After doing so, they then split into several smaller groups. One group at a time would always stay where they'd come to Earth. That was so that if they somehow eventually needed reinforcements while they were trying to gain an Earth-based foothold, to at least some degree, for the Negaverse, those reinforcements would be able to show up there easily enough. Supposing, of course, that enough things went well enough for the Negaverse then. And that was also the case, so that if any of their fellow Negaversers needed to return to their current base of operations on Earth, they'd all hopefully be able to do so easily enough, of course.

The Negaversers spent quite a while after they'd made Earthfall securing the area of Earth that they'd just come to, obviously enough. After they'd done this for at least a day or two, they soon split up. And they began scouting out the area of Earth in which they'd just landed themselves, for at least a little while. Little did they know that the Scouts were elsewhere on Earth, if not elsewhere in Peru, at the current time. And little did anyone else who was actually from the Sol solar system know that there were now at least a few dozen Negaversers, if not more, now on Earth. That, of course, was for all of the obvious reasons.

Epusaconio and his people then began capturing people in the Peruvian Empire soon after doing so. They often forced those people to work for them while they tried to establish a sufficient enough Earth-based foothold for the Negaverse to use in the future. Especially against the Moon Kingdom's inhabitants.

Eventually, like within just a few days of their coming to Earth, they'd sufficiently extended their control over a good-sized part of Peru to about 2,000 or so square miles of area, if not more than that. And they did that well enough once they were quite sure that nobody was now against them in sufficient enough force. Other Negaversers soon joined them in the part of Peru that they were now in, after Beryl had permitted more of them to come down to Earth through the required personnel. And they'd gotten themselves access to the Pacific Ocean not long after doing so. They did this after first capturing quite a few Peruvian citizens in the required manners, of course. And they did so before Beryl sent other Negaversers to Earth to hopefully help secure what might prove to be the Negaverse's first Earth-based foothold.

Of course, the Negaversers tried not to alert any enemies of theirs who might possibly be anywhere near where they'd earlier landed. But other high-ranking people in Peru eventually received news of their current presence on Earth. If not also anyone else who was then elsewhere in the known Universe. And because of that, the news that they were now on Earth would most likely get to enough, if not all, of the people back in Cuzco, Peru. And it'd probably do that before too much longer. Supposing that it hadn't already done so by then, obviously enough.

In the meantime, though, Epusaconio and his people began establishing themselves as securely, and as quickly, as they could in Peru. And as soon as they could, they even tried to take over more of Earth's surface, if at all possible. But they only did that whenever they felt they could do so easily enough, with a minimum of trouble coming their way as they did so, of course.

Eventually, after spending at least a few days or so on Earth's surface, their presence had spread over several thousand square miles of area. And they'd begun bringing naval ships that could function on planets' surfaces to the Pacific Ocean. This was so that they'd hopefully be able to blockade Peru's ports, of course. And do so even while their land forces also moved toward them from other directions.

They soon had total, or near-total, control over the air. Supposing that they hadn't already established it when they'd first landed themselves in the La Paz area of Peru some length of time before, of course. Nothing more at all would most likely come from the air for Peru. Unless other people were somehow able to sneak into Peru easily enough to help it out at least a little bit, if not a lot. Any reinforcements for, or any resupplying of, Peru's military forces and/or inhabitants would probably have to come there by means that the Negaverse might not be able to detect and stop easily enough. No matter what those means might be, as a matter of fact. If the Negaverse had virtual total control over the land, sea, and air in the part of Peru that they'd already secured somehow, that'd most likely be the case. And remain so for at least as long as the Negaverse was still present somehow in or near Peru. If not even longer than that, in fact.

And if that was the case, then it might not bode well for the Moon Kingdom's inhabitants, at least. If not also for any other societies that they might ever encounter, for that matter. If they were actually able to maintain their Peru-based foothold well enough, they might then try to gain other such footholds elsewhere on Earth's surface, of course, as well.

_

* * *

A Rather Hostile Takeover_ will still take a while to put up here, readers, quite possibly. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!


	10. Chapter Ten

In the last chapter, the Negaverse and its rather strange beings began to make their move toward Earth and several places on it, in fact. That was if they'd not already done so by then, obviously enough. Just how, when, and where they moved to on, under, and around it, though, you had to read on to find out well enough. For I didn't really want to spoil the last section of the story here, if it could have been avoided at all, before you'd had a good enough chance to read it.

In the next chapter, several Peruvian Monitors and their current Scout associates will converse for a while with each other in a Peruvian Imperial Palace garden about certain matters of considerable importance to any or all of them at all. In order for you to find out what they'll all say during that conversation there, though, you'll just have to read on to find out well enough, of course. For I don't really want to spoil this next section of the story here, if I can possibly avoid it, before you have a good enough chance to read it.

Now, without much, if any, further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories. Remember, people, all the standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever necessary. However, I'd still hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here. For I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you'll all continue to read and enjoy it, readers! Now on to the story!

_

* * *

A Rather Hostile Takeover_

A _The Chrysanthemum Chronicles_ Series Story

Rainbow Garden In The Imperial Palace

Cuzco, Peru, Earth

February 15, 987

A few days later, at the very most, while the Negaverse was beginning to establish itself on Earth's surface to the best of its ability to do so, word of its activities finally reached the area of Cuzco, Peru. And it did so while Queen Serenity and the rest of her crowd were still spending a little time with some of their Peruvian friends in the Imperial Palace's Rainbow Garden there. And it reached there while they were all in their respective normal states of being there. They soon learned of the Negaverse's activities when several other Monitors came there to meet with their fellow Monitors Mara, Ginkya, Yazmis, and Zardiz, for a while.

Among them was the Monitor Firehawk, who'd then been trying to keep an eye on General Tucariono and a number of his people with a number of other Monitors, for a while. She and those other Monitors had done this here after Mara and her cousins had asked her and several other Monitors to do so. Firehawk told Mara and her current companions of several thousand strange beings, at least, if not more of such beings than that, who'd apparently established a base of operations elsewhere in Peru's territory, within the last few days or weeks, at most.

Mara soon said, "Describe them to us, Firehawk."

So Firehawk and at least two other Monitors did so, to the best of their respective abilities to do so. And Mara soon said, "I was afraid that they'd be here eventually. I think that we're going to have to evacuate as many of our people from Peru as possible, then, Firehawk. Please tell the Emperor and Empress, as well as my parents, at least, that I and my cousins now rather strongly suggest that we have everyone who can do so easily enough soon begin entering as many of our underground caves as they can. And that we recommend that everyone who can do so easily enough should quite possibly start heading toward other lands that we know of through them. Or that they should quite possibly start hiding out there for some yet-unknown length of time. Our enemies are most likely going to be trying to blockade our ports that they're not in control of at the current time, I believe. And they'll most likely be watching the skies as well. And if I'm not mistaken, they'll be moving toward our cities which they don't already control with their land forces. But they might not expect us to try to hide from them underground. That's if they haven't already begun to do any or all of those things here on Earth, I believe. However, I think there's a very good chance that they've already started to do at least one or more of those things I just mentioned to everyone else now here with me in this garden. Believe me, everyone, if I'd been on a new world long enough, and if I had nasty designs on it and its inhabitants, I'd probably do at least one of those things just as soon as I possibly could. If not more than one of them. After having first come to a new world like they've just apparently come to Earth now, I'd probably do so, if I could, and if I were actually wanting to conquer and/or destroy it, anyway. Of course, I could be wrong here, Firehawk. But I really hope that I'm not."

"Why don't you four want to do it yourselves, Mara?" asked Firehawk.

"We'll have to do other things at the current time, I think, Firehawk. If you need to use other Monitors besides those of us who are already here in this garden, then so be it. Just try to be sure that you can relay all the necessary information to the required people here in Peru, if at all possible for you all. It may not be very easy for you to do that, though. But at least you'll have to try to do that here, Firehawk. That's so if the need actually arises for us to try to do so here, we can then try to evacuate as many of our people from Peru as we possibly can. And that's if our enemies are actually too strong for us to somehow defend ourselves easily enough, as well."

"Even if some of our citizens and military personnel are lost?"

"Yes, even if that's the case, we all have to do whatever we possibly can for any or all of our people, no matter what the cost, Firehawk," said Yazmis.

Another Monitor, a Monitor named Fadra Kilala, who had the Caracas Crystal for the Monitors, and who had the Monitor name of Sacala, then said, "This may not work, Yazmis."

"I understand that, and I'm sure that my cousins do too. But we still have to do what we can for our people, no matter what, Sacala."

Firehawk said, "Of course, there's also the possibility that our enemies may find out about our underground caves and tunnels, anytime in the near future, people."

"True enough, Firehawk," said Zardiz. "But that's most likely a risk that we'll all probably have to take here, if we really want to do the best that we possibly ever can. And hopefully be able to do so in order to protect as many of our people as possible from any harm that might be caused by our enemies. And some of us may even be lost, of course. I hope not, obviously enough. But if they're intent on ruining our nation, then any number of us, other Peruvian personnel, and/or any number of Peru's people could be lost because of them. I really don't like the idea of that possibly happening at all, of course. But it still might come to pass, if they're a very strong group of strange beings."

Another Monitor named Geline Yodasan, or simply enough, Enisangob, then said, "If the Zone of Darkness we saw earlier is any indication, I expect that there are thousands of beings, at least, if not more, in it. And I expect that it might continue to spread quite rapidly, if it's not checked whenever possible. We could really have a lot of trouble from them, if that Zone of Darkness has at least as many strange beings in it as we all suspected that it now has in it."

Mara then asked, "Where's this Zone of Darkness now, Enisangob?"

"The nearest edge of it is currently running from somewhere near Tacna northeast to about Rurrenabaque. And then it runs from there southeast to about Corumba's local area. After which it runs roughly south toward somewhere in the local area of Asuncion. Then it runs roughly southwest to the Pacific Ocean near Valparaiso. They now apparently hold the area from there to about Tacna, from what we could gather easily enough with the help of our Crystals, all along the coast. And all the land between all those places now seems to be under their very firm control. We tried to get even closer to all of those places. But we really couldn't get closer to them all than about 2,000 yards either in the air or on the ground without taking the chance that they might see, hear, or detect us as we patrolled in the area. Even while we each tried to keep at least one eye on General Tucariono and/or any number of his people that we were all trying to watch for you all some length of time ago. We all got back here just a few hours ago, at most, Princess Mara."

"So this area is rather large, it seems, if what you're telling us is accurate enough."

The Quito-born Firehawk, who was also Sonir Adera, and who was the holder of the Quito Crystal for the Monitors, then said, "Yes, it is, Mara. It may be rather difficult for us to evict them from our lands, because they seem to be very strong, and getting even stronger as time goes by, I think. If it's not already too late, then it may not be too much longer before they get too strong for us to kick them out of our nation easily enough. Supposing, of course, that we're somehow ever able to do just that at all in our lives here in our own nation on Earth's planetary surface."

Serena then said, "The Negaverse won't give any of your people mercy if they refuse to aid them, or submit to their control. Whether Monitor, civilian, sailor, or soldier, they'll not give any of your people mercy if they encounter them. That's if your people refuse to aid or submit to them and their control, when they're trying to wreak havoc anywhere in the known Universe that they can do just that in it, I think. So if you encounter them, then you must all be prepared to fight or die, if you don't want to aid or submit to them and their control. Believe me, we've faced them at least once before in battle. And this is how I know this, girls. And they'll eventually come to the Moon, I fear. And then they'll wreak just as much havoc on it, when they do so, as they possibly can. But only after having first gone after all the other Moon Kingdom-inhabited places anywhere at all that they can actually find and get to easily enough, it now seems to me here."

"How do you know this, Serena?"

"I see such things in my dreams and visions quite frequently, Firehawk. That's one reason I know what might happen for us back on the Moon after a few more years, at most, pass for us all in this solar system of ours, if I'm not too mistaken about such things. Of course, I won't like it at all, if and when it happens. And I'm quite sure my fellow Moonites and others I know in my life well enough won't like it either. But I'm really afraid that such things might eventually happen for us all back on the Moon someday. If they do happen, then several of us, if not all, of us might find ourselves likely taking a one-way trip to the Earth from the Moon. I'd love to spend forever on the Moon. And I'm sure a lot of other people from our own Moon Kingdom might too, Firehawk. But I really don't think that we'll be able to do that easily enough. Or at least not for quite a while, if we all somehow survive easily enough for a long enough time."

"Do you have a problem with living on the Earth in the future, Serena?" asked Sacala.

"No, of course not, Sacala. But I think that I'd rather be on the Moon in my life, if at all possible. Don't get me wrong, my honey is from the Earth. But I often love being on the Moon."

"Because you've spent virtually all of your life on it, Serena?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, Sacala."

"And you're afraid that if and when the Negaverse comes to your Moon Kingdom, not one stone will likely be left on another by the time that they finally get done with ruining it, Serena?"

"At least a little. But by then, I don't think that I'll be awake to see it, if my visions and dreams that I've had for a number of years are sufficiently accurate in their respective natures. I expect that most, if not all, of us will be asleep before then. Including me and Darien, of course. If not lost, because of them, Sacala."

Queen Serenity then said, "And if that's the case, then I'll likely have to try to save as many of our Moon Kingdom's current inhabitants as I possibly can, of course, Monitors. Even if it means I too fall asleep somehow. I won't leave the Moon behind in a physical sense when they come. And I'll still be there after I lock them away for a time. I believe that I eventually will fall asleep somewhere on the Moon. And then I'll soon be left alone on the Moon for quite a while. I'll likely be the last humanoid awake on the Moon, before everyone I was able to save somehow then begins heading toward Earth, and what'll hopefully be a new future for them all. At least once per Moon Kingdom inhabitant that I was able to save somehow, if not more than once, supposing that I'm not too mistaken about such things, of course."

"Will you be lonely, after they all leave you behind, if they begin leaving before you fall asleep, Queen Serenity?"

"I won't likely have time to feel lonely, Enisangob. For I'll likely be falling asleep not too long afterward."

"Asleep like in dead, Queen Serenity?"

"You might say that, Enisangob."

"I see. Well, what if they come back to bother those who you were able to save somehow, Queen Serenity?"

"I expect that Luna and Artemis will know what to do, then. For I've been preparing them both for such a prospect at least once each per person who might ever be a Sailor Scout for us in the future. Whether or not they're Sailor Scouts of any currently-known kind right now in our known Universe, which God created so long ago, out of pure nothingness."

Firehawk, Enisangob, and Sacala soon left the rest of their current companions behind, so that they could try to relay the needed messages to the required people anywhere in Peru who weren't currently under Negaverse control anywhere at all on Earth. And everyone else they'd met with in the Rainbow Garden for a time either watched or heard them leave it behind, if not both, of course.

After Firehawk, Sacala, and Enisangob left them behind again, Mara said, "For some strange reason, I think that we'll have our hands quite full with the Negaversers now on our world. I have this hunch that we'll not be able to beat them easily enough to evict them from it at all. Even if we have to fight what essentially might be delaying actions, so that as many of our people can survive as we can get safely enough away from them here on Earth somehow."

Raye then asked, "Mara, I have a question, if I may ask it of you?"

"Yes, Raye?"

"That question is this, 'What is the current strength of your people's Monitor force of female warriors?', Mara."

"As far as I know, about 20,000, give or take a few hundred or so. at most. I could be wrong about that, though, of course, Raye."

"How long will it likely take you to mobilize them, then?"

"At least a week, I fear, if not longer. Quite possibly at least two weeks, I believe."

"How many Monitors are in this area at the current time?"

"About a dozen Monitors, plus or minus, I think, about three or four Monitors, at the very most, including all four of us, Firehawk, Sacala, and Enisangob, of course. If we split up, it'd likely take us at least a day to get to all of the required areas of our Peruvian Empire that aren't currently under Negaverse control, if not longer. Even if you Sailor Scouts helped us out, that'd still likely be the case for all of us here in our Empire. There are considerable distances between several of our cities. And it often takes a while for our people to get between them on foot and/or by using other modes of travel. We often don't like it. But it's still often the case for those of us here in the Peruvian Empire."

"And if they're coming here from elsewhere in the Universe, they might still do so, unless, of course, they're kept somehow from doing so?"

"Yes, I believe that'll be the case for our Negaverse enemies, Amy."

"So what you're saying here is that if we don't somehow stop them, and also evict them from our own world, they'll probably use it as a base of operations to attack the Moon and other Moon Kingdom-inhabited places, Mara?" asked Sylvia, at least a few seconds later.

"Correct. Now I'm not really familiar with your part of Earth or with Darien or Rolando's parts of it. But I still think that'll actually be the case, if we can't kick them somehow off our world, Sylvia."

"Which might prove fatal to the various inhabited places in our solar system that are currently under Moon Kingdom control. Such as Mercury, Venus, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, as well as all their moons and space stations, as well, quite possibly?" asked Sylvia, after Mara had just answered her moments before.

"I suspect so, Sylvia. Then that'd likely leave just our own world inhabited here in our own solar system, of course."

"And if we don't take care of them here eventually, somehow, they might have control of, or they might destroy, this whole solar system someday, if I understand what you're saying well enough, Mara."

"Yes. And that's something that we really can't afford, for all the obvious reasons, of course. That's if it can possibly be avoided somehow by us, Sylvia."

"Understood. No matter what, then, they must not be allowed either to control or to destroy this whole solar system of ours. At least one inhabited place that they can't get to must somehow remain free of their presence, if at all possible. Even if they send us back to the Stone Age, in a manner of speaking, technologically, at least. They must not infect our whole solar system with their foul stench and other forms of evil pollution from their wicked Negaverse."

By now, it was about 1:30 pm on February 15, 987. At least in the Cuzco, Peru, area of Earth, anyway. Mara and her fellow Monitors soon decided that they needed to do certain other things elsewhere on the Imperial Palace's grounds. So they soon parted from the Scouts that had been visiting with them while they were out of their respective Sailor Scout states of being. Serena didn't want them to leave. But Mara soon said, "We have to leave you all now, everyone. We don't really want to, of course. But if your previous enemies are here in our own land, we have no real choice in the matter. Supposing, of course, that they're anything like you've already told us that they are, based on your previous battle with them."

Serena soon said, "From our previous experience against them, they're like that, Mara. Quite like that, Mara."

"Then you can understand why we must leave you now. Even if we don't really want to do that, Serena."

"Yes, I suppose that I must admit that, Mara."

"Well, feel free to try to enjoy yourselves here for a while longer, if you so choose to do so, everyone. We'll try to find out more about our new common enemy, if at all possible, in the meantime. Of course, we'll try to do so in a safe enough manner. Though we won't guarantee that we'll be able to do easily enough, without letting them know that we know what they've been doing in our nation, obviously enough."

"May God keep you all safe, then, until we meet again, if it's His will for Him to do just that. And may you also find out enough useful information about our enemies safely enough, if at all possible, of course," Queen Serenity soon said. After which all of her companions besides the Monitors soon said generally the same thing to her, in their own special ways of doing so in their respective lives.

After that was then done well enough to suit everyone who was actually still in the Rainbow Garden and still close enough to Queen Serenity here, Mara and her fellow Monitors quite reluctantly left their new associates behind in the aforementioned garden. Everyone else who was still there then watched or heard them leave it. After which Serena eventually said, "Just what we need, Mother. More trouble from our enemies in our lives."

"I'm not happy at all about that either, Serena. But we'll still have to face them many more times in the future, I believe, whether we like it or not. And we'll all probably have to do it, no matter what the costs of doing battle against them are for us all in the Moon Kingdom, at least. If not elsewhere in the known Universe as well."

"I never wanted to have to fight the Negaverse again, Mom."

"I know that, Serena."

"I hope that if they really wreak great havoc on the Moon someday in the future, that you're able to save us all, of course, Mom."

"I'll certainly do my best, as you all very well know by now, my dear Serena. But even I may not be able to save everyone, of course, if they're too far away from where we'll most likely meet them for the last time on the Moon, Serena. And of course, we all know about what might happen for you and Darien in the future, if they come to the Moon to conquer or destroy it, Serena. I really hope that it doesn't, quite obviously enough. But I strongly feel that it may very well come to pass for any or all of us, Serena."

"What if we have to face them in battle while we're on Earth?"

"Then we fight them to the death. And we do whatever we can for our new associates, if at all possible, Serena. As well as for their people, if we possibly can do so, of course."

"And if they're still too strong, Mother?" asked Bethany, just after she'd seen her mother sign those words a few seconds before.

"Then we have to try to escape from the area as well, if at all possible, while also trying to help out others as much as we possibly can, at the very same time. If any of us fall, we must not abandon them as we make our retreat, if we can possibly avoid it. Whether Scout, Monitor, Peruvian soldier, sailor, or citizen, if we can possibly avoid it, we aren't to abandon them if and when we have to retreat from the area in which we'd just engaged them in battle. That may not be easy, of course, Bethany. But we must try to make sure that any of us who might fall in battle don't get left any particular place where our enemies might be able to access our bodies easily enough. If we must leave people behind, we may need to dispose of their bodies as we make our retreat in whatever ways that we possibly can dispose of them, if the need arises."

"And if we may have to use people's bodies as a barricade to buy us some time to get away from wherever we were fighting our enemies at such a time, Mother?"

"Then we may very well have to do that. Even if we may not actually like the idea much of us doing so at all, Destiny. I don't know how large these tunnels or caves might be that the Monitors mentioned to us some time ago. But they may be rather small at times, of course, Destiny."

"Should we expect any reinforcements here from the Moon Kingdom, Queen Serenity?" asked Raye.

"I don't think so, much less anywhere else on Earth, besides anywhere else in the Peruvian Empire, Raye. If we fight them, as I suspect that we'll eventually have to at least once here on Earth, then I don't think we should expect any increases in the size of our forces here on Earth. Or at least not for a long while."

Alexis said, "We could engage them, if we knew where they were, Queen Serenity, and if we knew exactly how strong they really are."

"Alexis, I do know that you're often quite aggressive in your life. But there's no logical sense in us engaging them before we're as ready to fight them in battle as we possibly can be, if it can be avoided at all, somehow. Granted, you may actually have a good idea, Alexis. But now's not the proper time for us to attack them, if it can be avoided at all. Maybe later, we can explore the idea. But right now, at least, we aren't yet ready to fight them here, if we'll ever be, Alexis."

Michelle then said, "I feel like we could take them, Queen Serenity."

"I understand you might feel that way, Michelle. But it's not logical to expose our people to danger, while we're still not ready to fight them. And it's also not logical to do it while we still don't know just how strong they are, if it can be avoided at all. Don't you remember how they took out a lot of natives of Ozotov IV when we went there quite a while ago?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything, Queen Serenity?"

"If those natives hadn't been on our side, by fighting against beings from the Negaverse, we'd likely not be here today, Michelle. If we faced them without help, what do you think would happen to our Moon Kingdom?"

"It'd be destroyed."

"Why, Michelle?"

"Because it wouldn't have us leading it, and our Moon Kingdom needs our leadership, if we don't want the Silver Millennium to end before a thousand years have passed in it."

"Correct. Sure, my brother and others in my government may be rather intelligent. But there are a lot of people who'd love to see us completely out of the way, no matter what the cost. Especially for those of us who are actually from the Moon. I trust my brother, of course, but I don't trust a lot of our other people."

"People like Prince Caliterios, Queen Serenity?"

"Exactly, Raye. If he didn't have as much support as he does in your mini-system, he'd likely be out of my government very soon, if I had my way with him. I'd probably banish him from the Moon, at least, if I could. But because he's a rather powerful official from your own world and its mini-system, I can't do that very easily, of course. To do so would likely cause even more trouble for us that we may all not be able to handle well enough for quite a while."

"And that might jeopardize our joint project with Darien's own Earth nation, I suppose, by logical extension?"

"You could say that, because I feel that if sufficient enough trouble arises in any of our Moon Kingdom's inhabited places, it may very well force us to spend our money and resources elsewhere, instead of spending it on other things related to our joint project sufficiently enough, Raye. Like on dealing with such trouble in those inhabited places of our Moon Kingdom, for instance. Every single bit of money or resources that can be diverted from wherever it should go for us certainly puts our Moon Kingdom at even more risk from any or all of our enemies, Raye. And if, somehow, too much money and/or resources are wasted needlessly, then the chances of my saving as many of us as we can may be quite significantly reduced, for obvious reasons. I really don't want that to be the case. And I don't think the rest of you really do too, either. Most especially Destiny and Bethany, who, I quite strongly believe, aren't often in most people's dreams and/or visions of the future. Or at least up to this point in each of our mortal lives in God's very own Universe, that is."

All the Moonites and their Terran friend Sylvia soon decided to leave the Rainbow Garden behind again. After which they all split up with each other as needed, so that they could go to their current Peruvian Imperial Palace chambers, in very short order. Serena returned to her own chambers with her sisters and Sylvia not too much later, after she and Raye had both given Queen Serenity back their lockets again here, of course. She then did this by about 2 pm local time.

Then she and her sisters, as well as Sylvia, soon decided to take naps for a while. And when they each did so, they all soon fell asleep in their respective sleeping areas in their current chambers, of course. They all napped in them, then, for at least two or three hours, if not longer, until they all eventually woke up again in them. While they each napped in their designated sleeping areas in those chambers, they all often dreamed of what might happen for them all in the future, if and whenever such a future might ever come to pass for them. That was supposing, quite obviously enough, that it'd ever somehow come to be the case, for any or all of them in their respective lives. Of course, their dreams might never come to pass, if and when the Negaverse came to the Moon Kingdom. And most especially to the Moon, in each and every single one of their lives. But then again, they might come to pass for any or all of them, just the same.

_

* * *

A Rather Hostile Takeover_ will still take a while to put up here, readers, quite possibly. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!


	11. Chapter Eleven

In the last chapter, several Peruvian Monitors and their current Scout associates conversed for a while with each other in an Imperial Palace garden about certain matters of considerable importance to any or all of them at all. In order for you to find out what they all said during that conversation there, though, you had to read on to find out well enough, of course. For I didn't really want to spoil the last section of the story here, if I could avoid it, before you had a good enough chance to read it.

In the next chapter, I'm going to take a short break from the main action of this story, and provide a bit of an interlude of sorts here, if I may. This interlude will be somewhat short, when compared to the rest of the story yet to be posted for it, people. But it'll still be an interlude, nevertheless. I hope that you all enjoy it at least a little bit, before moving on with the rest of the story as I might put it up here. We'll be about halfway through this story when this interlude of sorts ends, more or less, by the way. There may not be another section that could serve as an interlude of sorts in this story. Or at least not while the main action of it still has to be taken care of, for your information, people. So please do try to enjoy it for a while, before you continue reading this story more, if you all possibly can do so, of course. For there'll be much serious tragedy to come in at least two chapters, if not more than that, for the rest of the story, before the end of it. And before the end of it, there'll be at least one good thing to happen for the Scouts and those close enough to them in their lives, if not more than just one good thing in those lives of theirs, in fact. Even though many people will still be grieving the loss of numerous people at the same time that good thing or those good things happen, in fact, that'll still be the case by the end of this story, just the same.

Now, without much, if any, further ado, if we may, readers, let's get on with the next chapter of this story here. If you like what you see, or feel the need to do so, then please don't be afraid to read, review, and enjoy my related story chapters here, readers. I await your rather clean, rather courteous, and rather constructive, comments about this story and its related parts, and about its related series, as well. Supposing, of course, that any of you all would ever feel the need or the desire to put up any reviews for any or all of my various stories. Remember, people, all the standard disclaimers will still apply here, if and whenever necessary. However, I'd still hope and prefer that you all not steal my own original characters and settings here. For I've spent many hours working on them for quite a few years, in fact. Now, let's get on with the story here again, everyone. And I really do hope that you'll all continue to read and enjoy it, readers! Now on to the story!

_

* * *

A Rather Hostile Takeover_

A _The Chrysanthemum Chronicles_ Series Story

Inside Serenity's Chambers In The Imperial Palace

Moon City, Moon Kingdom, Moon

February 15, 987 - February 16, 987

Meanwhile, back in Moon City on the Moon, it was about 7:30 pm there. Just as it'd be in Scotland back on the Earth, of course. Prince Daniel was in his wife's chambers, working to prepare it for possible use, at least on a temporary basis, by the children that Queen Serenity was now carrying in her womb. That was if things went well enough for all concerned, at least in that regard, if not in others as well, obviously enough. He was also hoping very strongly that things were well for those people he knew in his life who were now hopefully safe and sound somewhere on Earth.

He was primarily preparing several cradles for possible use by any more children that his wife might eventually have in the future, at the current time. Three of which had been used before, and two that never had been before. The three that'd been used before had been used by all three of his daughters for most, if not all, of the first year or two of each of their lives. Two others, he'd eventually made several months before, at most. Starting shortly after Queen Serenity and others had suddenly been whisked away to Ozotov IV about five months before.

The three cradles that'd been used before had been used in the past by Serena, Destiny, and Bethany. Who no longer needed them at all, of course. And they'd all given him permission to prepare them for other children that their mother might deliver some length of time in the future. So he was now preparing them as he felt it was necessary for him to prepare them all, during the current absence of his very own wife Queen Serenity.

The first of the babies that Queen Serenity might deliver would be using Serena's own cradle, in fact. While two others would use the cradles that Destiny and Bethany had used in each of their lives, of course. The two others would be using other cradles, as well, for the obvious reasons. And Daniel was also mostly repainting the three cradles that'd been used before by his three current daughters. That was so they'd have a mostly different look for their likely new occupants sometime yet in the future. Not entirely, for he wanted to be sure that any future children of his that might ever use them would most likely remember who'd used them before in each of their respective lives, if at all possible. But he was mostly repainting them, so that they'd look at least a little bit new, if not a lot new, just the same, of course.

As he was working on various things in his wife's Imperial Palace chambers, he eventually heard a knock on the door. It was his older sister Princess Eileen now knocking on that door, once she'd learned from various maidservants of Queen Serenity's that her brother was likely working on various things there for a while. He asked, "Who's there?"

"It's Eileen, Danny."

"What's the matter, sister?"

"In the past few days, I've noticed an area of darkness in a certain part of Earth. And this area of darkness is even there during the daytime there, it seems, at least whenever I can see it on Earth."

"What about it, sister? The Earth's supposed to get dark at certain times of the day there anywhere on it most, if not all, of the time, isn't it, Eileen?"

"But for at least 16 or so hours, normally, when someone's not in Earth's polar regions? Like if they might be near or on the Equator, Danny? I really don't think so. At least not normally, anyway, Danny."

Daniel thought about that for a moment, then said, "I suppose you're right, Eileen. But I don't think there's anything we can do to make that unusual area of darkness disappear, at least as of the current time."

"But it's near and on the continent of South America, Daniel."

"That may be so, Eileen. But we can't get there, most likely, to help anyone who might be near that area. Or at least not in the very near future."

"Don't you realize that Serenity and several others may be there by now, Daniel?"

"That may be true, Eileen. And if so, I hope that God's taking rather good care of them in whatever area of Earth He recently brought them to a while ago. This, of course, is for all the obvious reasons."

"What if they get in trouble there, Danny?"

"Then I pray that God protects them all very well, and any other people they might become friends with anywhere on Earth besides Israel, Scotland, or Japan, of course."

"Even if you don't really know who those people might be?"

"Yes, Eeny, I still pray that. Even if I don't really know who those people might be, for all the obvious reasons." Eeny was a pet nickname that Daniel often used whenever he was alone with Eileen enough in his life. Whether or not any other persons in both their lives used it as well around her, in fact.

"Especially for your family's sake, no doubt."

"Yes. I wish very much that our parents and Serenity's parents would have been able to meet up with my and Niti's children in this life. But as you know, that just wasn't possible, for the obvious reasons."

"Do you still miss Father and Mother?"

"Of course I do, Eeny. But missing them isn't necessarily going to bring them back here easily enough, is it?"

"No, Danny, it most likely won't. Or at least not in a fully physical sense at the current time."

"And I believe that the same thing's also true for our siblings and their own families, of course, at least, Eeny. I know that we all don't often see our older brother Mark, his wife Penelope, and their two children often. Nor do we see our younger sister Stacey and her husband Nicholas, or their five children often either. Not to mention our still-younger brother Kerry and his wife Winona, or their own three children, quite often, as well."

"Because they're often traveling, or if they're not traveling, they're usually living somewhere near Achilles City on the Moon?"

"Right, Eeny. That's right. Mark and his family are often away from the Moon on various Moon Kingdom-related matters for us all here in the Moon Kingdom. Mark and his families outrank the rest of our families. Except where Queen Serenity and our children are concerned, of course. I don't rank higher than our brother Mark and his wife, of course. And you don't, either. Nor do your four children by your lost husband James, if I'm not mistaken, Eeny."

"That's right. But I still outrank you, at least, if my children don't yet outrank you in our Moon Kingdom as well, Daniel."

"That's true enough, I suppose, Eeny. That may or may not ever change, of course. But if it doesn't ever change for the rest of either or both of our lives, Eileen, I'll probably outrank them at least until I fall asleep. And you'll also outrank me, at least until you also fall asleep eventually. That's supposing, of course, that we both do fall asleep eventually, somehow, and we both aren't lost instead."

"Danny, do you think Niti will make it to term with the babies she's now carrying inside her?"

"I think so. Or at least I hope so, of course. And I hope that she gives birth to them back here on the Moon, for the obvious reasons."

"But what if she delivers them on Earth, and not here?"

"Then we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it, if we ever have to do just that. But I still don't think that we'll ever have to worry about that happening at all, Eeny. I think God will make it possible for her and others to be back here in time for her to deliver the babies back here on the Moon somewhere. And do so before it's time for her to deliver them wherever she might be at that particular time."

"I hope that you're right, Daniel. For if I'm not too mistaken here, if whoever's in the area of darkness I've seen recently finds out that Niti's carrying any children, they might decide to really go after her. And they might try to make sure, at least, if they can't kill her, that she loses any or all of the babies that she's now carrying before she gives birth to them. Or failing that, of course, they might try to kill the babies rather soon after birth, if at all possible. That's supposing, of course, that she has to give birth to them somewhere on Earth, and not anywhere here in the Moon Kingdom. And if that's the case, I hope that the Scouts, and any friends that they might've made in the area of Earth they're then in, are able to protect each other and the babies well enough, of course."

"Especially Niti, of course?"

"Yes, of course, Danny. But you know that she may not actually be very strong after she gives birth for at least a little while, if she has to deliver the babies in question away from here. And the babies won't likely be able to defend themselves for quite a while, of course. So all of the available Sailor Scouts and their various friends will most likely have to try to protect each other and the babies to the best of their abilities to do so, if and whenever that's actually the case for all concerned parties here, Danny. I don't really know how successful they'll all be in doing just that, Danny. But I still really hope that they'll all be able to do that quite well enough somehow, of course."

Then Daniel and his sister Eileen talked about other things of importance, both to themselves, and to their own families, for at least a little while longer. They did this until she said, "Danny, I'm supposed to meet up with Jessica before too much longer in this palace's Hebron Garden. For we're planning on meeting there just before we head off to the Moon City Spaceport to catch a shuttle to Mars City elsewhere here on the Moon."

"Where's Mars City?"

"Near Mount Chrysalis, Daniel."

"You mean it's on the other side of the Moon?"

"Yes, I believe that's how things are for Mars City."

"Why are you going to Mars City here on the Moon?"

"Because several horses are going to be on sale there from all over the Moon Kingdom, and Jessica wants to see if she can acquire quite a few more horses for us to possibly use as breeding stock, at least, if not for any other purposes as well. You see, it seems that several, if not all, of our older stallions are no longer able to produce good offspring often enough. And some, if not all, of our mares are likely past their peak reproductive years. We'll most likely need to bring quite a lot of other horses into our total breeding stock to keep the quality of our stock of horses reasonably high. Besides, it seems that we might have an enemy coming in the near future, if I'm not all that mistaken, to try to wipe us out totally, if the need arises for them to ever try to do that. Am I right, Danny? And if I am, don't you think it might be wise of all of us to try to build up all our stocks of sufficiently high-quality horses as high as we can, before they most likely will someday come here and someday come after us all?"

"Yes, you're right, if the prophecies and predictions about our Moon Kingdom and its many inhabitants continue to be proven accurate, as they have been proven periodically to us all here in the Moon Kingdom for quite some time, if I'm not mistaken, Eeny. If they're going to come here, like so many other people seem to think that they eventually will, then I suppose we should try as hard as we can to make sure that we're all as ready for them to come here as we possibly can be here."

Then Eileen soon said, "Good night, Danny. Sleep tight, and sleep well, and I'll hopefully see you again very soon. God willing, of course, Danny. I'll pray for all of our friends and relatives who are still alive here in the Moon Kingdom, of course, as often as I can, in the meantime. Most especially for you, Niti, your children, and all of the other members of their crowd, most likely, of course, Danny, whenever I can do just that. I love you, brother Danny, of course. And I know that you love me too. May God watch over you and all of yours, as well as all the friends of you and yours, of course. At least until we all meet again someday, whenever that day might ever be, if it ever comes for us in the future, here in God's very own Universe." Then Eileen said nothing more, before she left her younger brother Daniel alone again. After which he soon returned to his working on the things that he'd been working on when she'd found him working on earlier, if he'd not already done so.

He worked on those things for a while after Eileen had left him again, before he eventually decided to get something to eat in the main dining hall of the Imperial Palace. He went to that main dining hall for a while. And he got himself a late supper, or a bedtime snack, as the case might be for him, for at least that long. He consumed some food and drink, before he then returned his dirty dishes to the necessary part of the dining hall, and before he finally returned to his wife's chambers, so that he could retire to their bed for the rest of the local night.

He eventually retired to their bed before local midnight. And he then slept in it until about local dawn the following morning, at the very earliest. But he certainly woke up by two hours before the following day's local noon in Moon City. He only woke up when the smells of some food being prepared began reaching his nose as he was in their bed for quite a while. And soon afterward, he was again in the main dining hall, of course.

_

* * *

A Rather Hostile Takeover_ will still take a while to put up here, readers, quite possibly. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!


End file.
